Anbumani urges T.N. government to consider demands of noon-meal workers

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday (February 7, 2026) urged the Tamil Nadu government to consider the slew of demands – including retirement benefits – put forth by noon-meal workers.

In a statement, Dr. Anbumani said the noon-meal and anganwadi workers have been protesting for nearly five days demanding that the State government consider their demands, including pension benefits and a hike in gratuity. Instead of holding talks with them to find an amicable solution to their demands, the State government’s attempt to detain them during the protest was highly condemnable, he said.

Dr. Anbumani said noon-meal workers, cooks, and assistants who were employed as part-time workers should be made permanent and be given a regular time-scale salary. During the previous Assembly session, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that the monthly pension of noon-meal workers will be increased from ₹2,000 to ₹3,400, while the total amount paid at the time of retirement will be increased from ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh.

However, the noon-meal workers have been pressing the State government to increase the monthly pension to ₹6,500. Because of the deadlock between the State government and the workers, the functioning of nearly 43,000 noon-meal centres was hit, Dr. Anbumani said.

He also demanded that the State government immediately hold talks with the protesters and consider their charter of demands.