Women workers say delayed payments have strained household finances; union seeks immediate release of pending dues
Sindhudurg: Around 2,250 women working as cooks under the School Nutrition Meal Scheme in Sindhudurg district have not received their honorarium since June, according to their union, leaving many of them struggling to meet household expenses.
The women prepare meals for students from Classes I to VIII in schools across the district. The School Nutrition Meal Cooks’ Union said most of the workers come from economically weaker families and depend substantially on the honorarium.
According to the union, each cook receives ₹1,000 a month from the Central Government and ₹1,500 from the State Government, taking the total monthly honorarium to ₹2,500. The union said payments for several months remain pending.
Assurance Before Ganesh Chaturthi, But Payment Delayed
Union president Kamlatai Parulekar and vice-president Suryakanta Sawant said they had repeatedly approached the Zilla Parishad’s Primary Education Department seeking release of the arrears.
They said they were assured that the dues would be cleared before Ganesh Chaturthi, but the payment had not been received. When the issue was raised with Education Deputy Director Vijaykumar Javir, union representatives were reportedly informed that changes in the Centre’s online fund-disbursement system had delayed the release of the Central share.
According to the explanation given to the union, the State’s corresponding share could not be drawn until the Central grant was received. The union has suggested that the Zilla Parishad temporarily release the honorarium from its own funds and adjust the amount once the government grant is received.
‘Women Serving Schoolchildren Also Need Support’
Parulekar and Sawant said the cooks work throughout the academic year for a modest honorarium and should not be forced to wait for months for payment. “The women who cook meals for schoolchildren are also daughters and sisters of Maharashtra. They work throughout the year for a meagre honorarium, yet they are being forced to wait for months for their payment,” the union leaders said.
Parulekar also referred to earlier instances in which pending payments to Anganwadi workers were resolved following administrative intervention. Taking a political swipe at the government’s emphasis on women-oriented welfare programmes, she said authorities should pay equal attention to women working under government-supported schemes at the grassroots.
Families Forced to Manage Expenses on Credit
The union said the delay had caused particular hardship during Ganesh Chaturthi, when household expenditure typically rises. Several workers were forced to meet family and festival expenses through borrowing or credit because their monthly honorarium had not been released, the union claimed.
It has demanded immediate payment of the pending dues and warned that the cooks may launch an agitation if the issue is not resolved soon.
