Ludhiana: Punjab releases mid-day meal funds after months of struggle

Funds covering the cooking costs under the PM Poshan scheme, along with fruit distribution and the pending salaries of mid-day meal workers have been cleared as per district demands

Nearly after three months of uncertainty, the Punjab Mid-Day Meal Society has finally released funds for the mid-day meal scheme, bringing long-awaited relief to teachers and workers who had been left to manage expenses on their own.

The funds were cleared by the Punjab Mid-Day Meal Society nearly after three months. (HT File)

The delay had pushed many into financial distress, with teachers forced to dig into their own pockets to keep the programme running and workers left without salaries.

District Lecturer Cadre Union president Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon expressed concern over the recurring issue, saying, “Repeated requests were ignored. Teachers continued to bear this burden for too long. Even now, while the letter has been released, we strongly urge the department to ensure timely disbursement every month. Otherwise, the same problem will repeat.”

According to the official letter, funds covering the cooking costs under the PM Poshan scheme, along with fruit distribution and the pending salaries of mid-day meal workers have been cleared as per district demands. This includes the central share that had been held up for two months.

For many workers, however, the delay has taken a heavy toll. Parveen Kumari, a mid-day meal worker, highlighted the hardships faced by her colleagues. “We have repeatedly met higher authorities requesting that our salaries not be delayed. Many of us depend solely on this income, and some are single mothers. Even this small amount of ₹3,000 means survival for us. Yet, we are forced to beg for what is rightfully ours.” She added that the honorarium for August, along with the central share of ₹600, was pending for two months. “In flood-hit areas, many of our workers are already struggling. Every penny matters, and this delay worsened their situation.”

Responding to the concerns, administrative secretary of school education, Anindita Mitra, clarified, “The payment from the Centre was delayed, so we had released the state’s share first. Now, all dues have been cleared, and there will be no further issues.”