Noon meal workers strike 'unnecessary': TN Govt

As the indefinite strike by noon meal workers in Tamil Nadu demanding wage revision entered second day today, the government maintained there was no disruption in supply of food to 40 lakh students and termed the protest 'unnecessary'.
Social Welfare Minister B Valarmathi said more than 95 per cent of workers reported for work and food was supplied to 40 lakh students without any disruption.
Due the preventive measures taken up by the government and the district administrations, more than 95 per cent of workers reported for work.
"All the noon meal centres functioned as usual and food was supplied to 40 lakh students without any disruption", she said in a statement here.

Tamil Nadu Nutritional Noon Meal Workers Association, spearheading the protest, claimed that about 60,000 workers were on the strike from yesterday.
Terming the strike 'unnecessary', Valarmathi said, "The demands put forth by the Association were accepted by the government in a meeting held on April 13.... (hence) it is clear that the agitation is unnecessary."
She noted that the government allocated Rs 1,412.88 crore as grant for 2014-15 and 1.28 lakh workers were employed at 42,619 noon meal centres across the state.
According to association President K Palanisamy, the workers were on the indefinite strike from yesterday pressing their demands including wage revision.