Midday meal workers in Karnataka to get lump sum amount as retirement benefit

Midday meal workers have staged protests for many years demanding various benefits, including payment of a lump sum amount of ₹1 lakh on retirement at 60.
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The State government has ordered to provide a lump sum amount of ₹40,000 to midday meal workers across the State who retire at the age of 60, having worked for a minimum of 15 years. The sum will be ₹30,000 for those who have worked for more than five years but less than 15.

Under the midday meal scheme, more than 1.19 lakh people are working in government and aided schools across the State, preparing and serving food to more than 55 lakh children. However, since midday meal workers are not government employees, they have hitherto not got any retirement benefit or gratuity when they retired from service.

The workers had been staging protests for many years demanding benefits, including a lump sum amount of ₹1 lakh on retirement at 60.

The Commissioner of the Department of School Education and Literacy had submitted a proposal to the government that a one-time benefit of ₹ 20,000 for those who have served five to 10 years, ₹25,000 for those who have served 11 to 15 years, ₹30,000 for those who have served 16 to 20 years, ₹31,000 for those who have served 21 years, and ₹32,000 for those who have served above 22 years be granted to the midday meals workers appointed under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana (midday meal scheme) and completed 60 years of age.

The government examined this proposal and ordered payment of a lump sum amount of ₹30,000 to those who have served for more than five years and less than 15 years and ₹40,000 to those who have served for 15 years and more. This benefit will be applicable for midday meal workers who were released from duty on or after March 31, 2022, upon completion of 60 years.

Midday meals workers have welcomed the decision but demanded that this benefit should also be given to those workers who have turned 60 and dismissed from their jobs without being given any benefit.

S. Varalakshmi, State president of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said, “We welcome the State government’s decision. For the first time in the country, the system of providing a lump sum amount to midday meal workers is being implemented in Karnataka. However, the Finance Department approved this benefit on July 16, 2024, but in the meantime, the government has sacked more than 10,000 workers who have turned 60. Therefore, we urge the government that this benefit should also be given to them too.”