Mysuru: Urging for fulfilment of various demands, midday meal (bisi oota) workers staged a protest in city yesterday under the banner of Karnataka Rajya Samyukta Akshara Dasoha Karmikara Sangha near Deputy Commissioner’s Office here. They said “the women workers are the backbone for the effective implementation of bisi oota programme at Government and aided schools across the State, for the past 20 years. It has also helped in eradicating malnutrition among children.”

There are an estimated 1.18 lakh workers in the State, but they aren’t paid according to their work. Besides, they are deprived of allowance for seniority in service, lump sum amount at the time of retirement, pension and paid maternity leave and medical facilities, they alleged.

The programme is in force across the country and hence they should be considered as Government employees. They should be provided with minimum pay, health cover, EPF, ESI, pension, uniform and other facilities. Besides, the service of workers should be regularised and those who work even during holidays should be paid double salary. Upon retirement, the workers should get a lump sum of Rs. 5 lakh, they demanded further.

State Secretary of the Association P.S. Sandhya, Geethamma, Mahadevamma, Kumari, Rajeshwari,  Manjula and others took part in the protest.