Chhattisgarh mid-day meal cooks protest for wage hike, survive on just Rs 66 a day

Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Thousands of mid-day meal cooks, mostly women, have been on an indefinite protest in Raipur for 22 days, demanding a hike in their daily wages from Rs 66 to over Rs 400.

Nearly 95% of the protesters are women from rural and tribal areas, who say their work is crucial to keeping schools running, yet their own households struggle to survive on meager earnings. “How do we survive on Rs 66 a day?” asked one of the protesters, highlighting the stark disparity between their contribution and earnings.

The cooks form the backbone of the state’s mid-day meal scheme, aimed at ensuring children from underprivileged families attend school and are not forced into labor to support their families.

Many women at the protest spoke about long-term health issues caused by cooking on traditional firewood stoves, as cooking gas is often unavailable in rural areas.

Despite weeks of demonstrations, the protesters insist they will continue until their demands are met. State education department officials could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.