Punjab proposes to raise mid-meal workers honorarium to Rs 3,000 a month

The Punjab Education department has proposed to raise honorarium for mid-day meal workers from 1,700 to Rs 3,000 a month, minister Vijay Inder Singla informed the state assembly on Wednesday.

Replying to a question of AAP MLA Aman Arora, Singla informed the House that a proposal for raising honorarium for cook-cum-helpers had been sent to the finance department for its approval.

He further said that earlier it had been raised from 1,200 to 1,700 per month after the Congress government came to power in 2017.

Singla informed the House that there were total 42,205 cook-cum-helpers working in schools in Punjab under the mid-day meal scheme, adding that it was a government of India scheme.

 

These workers prepare and distribute meals for 15.85 lakh children.

Aam Aadmi Party legislator Arora earlier pointed out that the mid-meal workers were being given pittance and asked, "Is it not a human rights violation?"

In another question, social security minister Aruna Chaudhary informed the House that it was under consideration of the state government to raise pension amount under old age pension, widow, handicapped pension schemes from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 a month.

She also took potshots at the previous SAD-BJP government for raising pension amount from Rs 250 to 500 in nine years.

"We raised this amount to Rs 750 per month in 2017," she said, adding that the government would raise the pension amount to Rs 1,500 per month in its regime.