Mid-day meal workers gheraoed urban development minister Anandi Patel and shouted slogans against her on Sunday due to non-payment of salaries by Akshay Patra foundation an NGO entrusted with the job of providing mid-day meals by the state government.
The minister who was in Surat to inaugurate new district collector office at Jilla Seva Sadan at Athwalines at first seemed reluctant towards meeting the workers but eventually gave in to the demands of around 500 mid-day workers.
Workers informed the minister that Akshay Patra Foundation has not cleared their salary for the month of July and August. They also demanded hike in their salary, which is currently only Rs1,000 per month.
After hearing their complaints, Patel asked the workers to meet the district collector and submit a written complaint.
She also promised all possible help once the issue is addressed to the district administration.
“We have been requesting the concerned officials to increase our salary but all our please fell on deaf ears. While the salary is low, the NGO deducts Rs300 from every worker’s salary during vacation period,” said Savita Patel, one of the agitating workers. According to Patel, there are around 1200 mid-day meal workers working in city’s 375 schools.
DNA
