SHILLONG : Members of the Union of Cook Cum Helpers, PM Poshan Meghalaya Shillong, staged a sit-in protest at Khyndailad in front of the old Assembly gate on Tuesday, demanding an increase in their honorarium from the Government of India.
Speaking to reporters, union president Gina Nengnong said the protest was organised after the union allegedly received no response from the Government of India to letters submitted since 2023, when the union was formed.
She said the issue of increasing the honorarium has been raised with the authorities on several occasions, but the union has not received a response.
According to Nengnong, cooks and helpers under the PM Poshan scheme are currently entitled to a central government share of 90 percent, amounting to ₹900.
However, she said the existing amount is no longer sufficient and pointed out that the honorarium has remained unchanged for around 20 years since the scheme was introduced.
The union is now demanding that the honorarium be increased to ₹9,000 per month.
The protesting cooks and helpers said the demand is aimed at securing an increase in the amount they receive for their work under the PM Poshan scheme.