School Cooks Protest in Srinagar, Demand Minimum Wages

Aatif Qayoom
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22 Apr 2026

Handwara, Apr 21: Scores of cooks employed by the School Education Department staged a protest at Chinar Park on Tuesday, demanding implementation of the Minimum Wages Act and resolution of long-pending grievances.

The aggrieved chefs said they have been serving in government schools for years under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, but their wages remain meager and irregular. They alleged that repeated appeals to authorities have gone unheard.

Riffat Bano, a protesting cook, said they have devoted their lives to feeding children in government schools, yet the government has failed to acknowledge their hardships. “We left everything to serve schoolchildren, but today we are struggling to survive,” she said.

She added that the protest has continued for more than ten days, but there has been no response from the administration so far. “We are hopeful that the government will act, but the silence is discouraging,” she said.

Another cook Naseema from the education zone Mawar said she has been associated with the department since the inception of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. She expressed concern over rising prices and low wages.

“How can a person manage with just Rs 1,000 per month when expenses are increasing every day?” she asked. She added that if the government cannot ensure minimum wages, it should reconsider continuing the scheme in its present form.

The protesting cooks urged the Chief Minister and the Education Minister to intervene and address their demands. They called for immediate implementation of the Minimum Wages Act in their favor.

They said fair wages are essential for a dignified life and warned that protests will continue if their demands are ignored by authorities.