Odisha asks centre to release its share for MDM cooks

Odisha's School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra has urged Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakadh Javadekar to immediately release the Centre's share in the hiked honorarium of cook-cum-helpers working under the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) programme.

In a letter to Jadavekar, Patra said the state government is facing difficulties as the Centre has not yet released its share in the enhancement in the honorarium. He said the cooks had recently come to the streets demanding Rs 2,000 as monthly honorarium.

The state government in January this year had enhanced the honorarium of MDM cooks from Rs 1000 per month to Rs 2,000 per month.

Though the state government has already released its 40 per cent share for the MDM cooks, the Centre is yet to give its 60 per cent share, the minister said.

About 1,18,000 cooks are getting Rs 1,400 from January while their demand is Rs 2,000 per month, he said.

"I would therefore, request you to appreciate the decision of the state government on the merit of the demands of these low paid volunteers engaged in cooking MDM and to take appropriate steps for release of the proportional increase in the honorarium of cook-cum-helper as government of India's share (60 percent) with effect from January 2018," Patra said in the letter.