Midday panel likely to take up issue of increasing honorarium

A proposal to increase the honorarium of midday meal workers from Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 is likely to be taken up by an empowered committee scheduled to meet tomorrow.
The proposal, which would benefit close to 28 lakh workers across the country, 80 per cent of whom are women, has received the nod of the Planning Commission, sources in the HRD Ministry said.
Raising the honorarium of midday meal workers was one of the demands of the states and different stakeholders following the Bihar tragedy in July last year which had claimed 23 lives.
The honorarium could be further enhanced to Rs 2000 pending an approval in this regard by the Union Cabinet.

The empowered committee which would be holding its first meeting under the chairmanship of the HRD Minister would discuss revamping the management structure at various levels, convening meeting of vigilance and monitoring committee and regular review meetings at district level and working of the joint review missions.
An Inter-active Voice Response System integrated with MIS is also scheduled to be introduced for real time monitoring of the scheme through effective community participation.
The meeting is also likely to discuss a proposal to include construction of dining hall under MNREGA with the consent of the Rural Development Ministry.