Mysore/Mysuru: State mid-day meal workers staged a protest demanding the release of arrears of their honorarium which is being held up since May this year. The protest was organised by Karnataka State United Midday Meal Workers Association in front of Mysuru Zilla Panchayat Office on Wednesday.

“The State Government is neglecting the midday meal workers because of which they are facing hardships. The Government should immediately accept their demands and protect their interests,” they appealed.

Observing that midday workers are being given very less honorarium and even that it is not being paid on time, they said the honorarium of 10 days in April, 15 days in May as well as monthly honorariums for the months of June and July have not been paid. They have appealed to the Government to release their payments every month on the due date.

The officials cite non-release of grants and other technical issues for the non-payment of dues. In the last State budget it was announced that the honorarium of midday meals have been raised by Rs. 1,000 but that too has not been implemented, they pointed out and urged the Government to take steps to protect the interests of midday meal workers.

Association office-bearers S.H. Girish, M. Umadevi, Geetha, Sowmya, Manjula, Mahadevamma, Sundaramma and others participated in the protest.