The cooks of the mid-day meals across the state have decided to launch a stir in constituency of education minister Sikander Singh Malooka, Rampura Phul. The cooks have alleged that their long-pending demands have not been met.
State president of Democratic Mid Day Meal Cook Front Harjinder Kaur claimed that cooks workings in government schools across the state were paid low wages. "The government is paying us only Rs 1,000 per month. The authorities should categorise our services as labour, if we are to be paid such low wages," she said, adding that principals of many schools also routinely asked them to handle other work too.
She added that the government also planned to appoint contractors to implement the scheme, which was likely to make them lose their jobs.
The state government has recently decided to start mid days meal scheme on contract basis in all government schools falling under jurisdiction of corporations including Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, Moga, Bathinda, SAS Nagar and Ludhiana. "With the implementation of contract system, the only motive of state government is to benefit few contractors. Jobs of around 4,500 cooks are at stake."
Meanwhile, Darshan Kaur, state secretary of the union, said the cooks' demands included hike in their pay scales to that paid to skilled workers, implementation of the recent hike of Rs 200 from December 2011, regularisation of job, life insurance of Rs 2 lakh, provision for inflation allowance and proper facilities in the kitchen. The cooks have also demanded medical allowance in the case of an accident while on duty.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Darshan Kaur, state secretary of the union, said the cooks' demands included hike in their pay scales to that paid to skilled workers, implementation of the recent hike of Rs 200 from December 2011, regularisation of job, life insurance of Rs 2 lakh, provision for inflation allowance and proper facilities in the kitchen. The cooks have also demanded medical allowance in the case of an accident while on duty.
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