KARAIKAL: Around 95% of the 133 workers employed under the 'Bread and Milk Service Scheme' in Karaikal are women and they are yet to be paid for the past four months. Mostly widows, they also alleged of not receiving a hike in salary, as assured by the Puducherry government.
Distressed over their families being affected by the alleged delay in payments, the workers requested the Puducherry government to credit the pending salary at the earliest. P Dhanavalli, a representative of the Bread and Milk Scheme Employees Association, said the current pay of the workers is Rs 6,458.
"It should be raised to at least Rs 10,000. Most of the workers are widows or separated from their husbands. In such a scenario, it is difficult to look after the children with such a meagre income. Besides, the delay in existing pay is pushing them into debt."
Around 20,000 students from Karaikal benefit from the scheme that was introduced in Puducherry in 2002. Around 830 workers are part of the scheme in Puducherry. Apart from boiling milk and serving it along with bread to students, the workers take class attendance, wash dishes, clean kitchen and toilet.
Earlier, in the budget session of 2021, Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy had announced a salary hike for the scheme employees. However, it is yet to be initiated, the workers alleged. "This is not the first time that our salaries are getting delayed.
This happens most often and we struggle to meet ends. We had written our grievances to Chief Minister N Rangasamy. If are issues are not solved, we would be resorting to protests," said P Somasuntharam, another representative. K Rajasekaran, the chief educational officer in Karaikal, told TNIE, "The pending salary amount would be credited to the respective bank accounts within a couple of days. Once the government order and circular are issued, and funds allotted, the hike in salary could also be initiated."