Midday meal scheme workers in Karnataka demand overdue payments

Midday meal scheme workers across Dharwad district in Karnataka have intensified their agitation, demanding the government clear four months of outstanding honorarium payments. The protest has mobilised employees from all seven taluks within the district who are responsible for preparing and distributing meals to schoolchildren under the state's nutrition programme.

The workers, whose compensation has remained pending since the beginning of the financial year, have cited financial hardship and uncertainty over employment sustainability. As frontline workers integral to the school feeding scheme, they have called on district and state authorities to prioritise the settlement of dues without further delay.

The midday meal scheme is a critical component of India's social welfare architecture, aimed at improving nutritional standards and school attendance among children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme relies heavily on contractual workers and support staff, many of whom operate on modest honorariums.

Government officials have not yet issued a public statement addressing the workers' grievances or confirming a timeline for payment resolution. The protest reflects broader concerns about the timely disbursement of funds allocated for education-related welfare programmes in the state.