In protest against the education department’s decision to hand over cooking and distribution of Mid Day Meal (MDM) to an NGO, large number of Bhojan Matas (MDM cooks) from different parts of the State converged at the State Education Directorate and organised a sit in.
Addressing Bhojan Matas, the district secretary of CITU, lekhraj said, “ The decision to hand over MDM to NGO would be opposed tooth and nail. Similarly the education minister has recently declared that schools with less enrollment would be closed. It is unfortunate as it will also result in removal of Bhojan Matas.’’
The President of the association of Bhojan Matas, Roshni Bisht said that Bhojan Matas are being removed on pretexts like number of students and handing over of MDM to NGOs.
She said that Bhojan Matas are forced to stop in the schools for most of the day. Bisht demanded that principal of equal pay for equal work should be implemented.
The members of the association also demanded social security and benifut of ESI for Bhojan Matas. They also blamed the education department for not providing them uniform despite goverment orders.
later a delegation of association met additional project director, Mukul Kumar Sati. He assured them that their concern would be put before the State administration.