Odisha midday meal cooks stage protest over 7-point charter of demands

The state-level association of midday meal cooks staged a demonstration on Monday at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar, pressing for a seven-point charter of demands.

Also Read: Salary hike for cooks-cum-helpers of Mid-Day Meal scheme announced by Odisha Govt

The outfit alleged that despite contributing to the State’s flagship mid-day meal (MDM) programme, an initiative central to education and nutrition for nearly 30 years, they continue to face neglect and poor working conditions.

Their primary demand is to raise the monthly honorarium from the current Rs 3,000 to Rs 13,860. The association also urged the State government to issue appointment letters and identity cards to all cooks and helpers to formalise their service status.

Another major issue highlighted was the irregular payment of wages, with workers insisting that salaries be disbursed on time every month. The association stated that a letter outlining these concerns has been sent to the Chief Minister for urgent intervention.

“Our main demand is: the State government should pay us a daily wage of Rs 462, which it had previously committed. An announcement was made in 2018 that the monthly honorarium of the cooks had been hiked to Rs 2,000, and we were paid Rs 1,400 instead. The difference of Rs 600 per MDM cook, calculated from 2018 till date, amounts to around Rs 40,000-45,000. The government has not yet paid us the difference amount,” the outfit's general secretary, Sumitra Rath, said to OTV.

Worth mentioning, earlier, the monthly salary of cooks-cum-helpers (Pachakas/Pachikas) working under Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman yojana was increased to Rs 3,000. The hike was announced by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on January 21, 2025.

This pay hike expectedly benefited 1.12 lakh cooks throughout the State. The Government had to bear an additional annual expense of over Rs 112 Crore to implement this salary increment.

These cooks working under the PM Poshan scheme play a crucial role in preparing and serving meals to around 42.45 lakh students. They work across a vast network of 50,618 primary and upper primary schools, serving pupils from Class 1 to Class 8, ensuring that the children receive nutritious mid-day meals during their school days.