Cook Association Protests in Front of Block Education Office
Kakatpur, 2/3 (Tushar Dixit):
Demanding an increase in their wages, members of the Mid-Day Meal Cooks’ Association (affiliated with CITU) staged a protest in front of the Kakatpur Block Education Office. Along with the demonstration, a protest meeting was also held. A memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister was submitted to Assistant Block Education Officer Pankajini Mishra on behalf of the association.
President of the Puri District Cook Association, Pitabas Behera, Block President Basanti Behera, Secretary Shubhalaxmi Sahu, and State Leader Basanti Lata Behera led the protest. Over a hundred cooks marched from Kakatpur Hospital Square through the market, chanting slogans, and reached the Block Education Officer’s office to demonstrate.
While the government continues to increase the salaries and allowances of regular employees, the cooks have received only a meager raise of ₹600, bringing their monthly salary to just ₹2,000. Though the scheme is a joint initiative of both the Central and State governments, neither has acknowledged the demands of the cooks. The cooks questioned how they are expected to manage household expenses on a monthly salary of ₹2,000. They also raised concerns about the lack of any pension scheme for them.
The protest was attended by key leaders and cooks, including Tikina Pal, Shishula Sahu, Sulachana Das, Minati Sahu, Rozaline Guru, Geetanjali Kandi, Geli Parida, Sabita Sahu, Shantilata Barik, Prabhati Nadini Das, Binati Kandi, and Lakshmipriya Das. Over a hundred cook workers from Kakatpur and Astaranga blocks participated in the demonstration.
