Midday meal workers not paid for four months, protest in Dharwad

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Midday meal workers staged a protest in Dharwad demanding immediate release of honorarium pending for the last four months, on November 2, 2026. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Midday meal workers affiliated to the Karnataka State Samyukta Akshara Dasoha Workers’ Union, affiliated to AIUTUC, staged a protest in Dharwad on November 2, demanding immediate release of honorarium pending for the last four months.

Addressing the protestors before the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Dharwad on November 2, union district president Bhuvana Ballari said midday meal workers receive a monthly honorarium of just ₹4,600, of which ₹1,000 is contributed by the Union Government and the remaining amount by the government of Karnataka.

She said the government of Karnataka had released its share for two months following an earlier protest, but the amount had not yet reached the bank accounts of workers. The workers were also facing delays in payment owing to the new SNA-SPARSH payment system, she alleged.

Pointing to rising prices of essential commodities, including milk and pulses, Ms. Ballari said the meagre honorarium was inadequate to meet their needs. She warned that the workers would intensify their agitation if the Central and State governments fail to address their demands.

Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Mallikarjun Todalabagi and PM POSHAN district education officer Roopa Purankar met the protesters and said the State Government’s two-month share had been sent to the treasury. They expected the funds for the remaining two months to be released within a week and assured the workers that efforts would be made to credit the pending amount to their accounts within 15 days.

They also promised to address other grievances concerning working conditions and duties, including toilet cleaning.

Workers from all seven taluks of the district participated in the protest, demanding payment of arrears and an increase in honorarium.

AIUTUC district president Gangadhar Badiger urged the workers to prepare to intensify the agitation if their pending honorarium and other grievances were not resolved within 15 days.

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