Chennai: The 24,264 sanitation workers, who had been getting free breakfast since last year, will henceforth get cash allowance instead of breakfast, TN govt has announced. The workers will now get ₹50 each for each working day. A Sept 21 notification allocated ₹44.28 crore to be disbursed as cash allowance to 24,264 workers. According to govt, 92% of workers preferred cash allowance to free breakfast scheme.The decision was necessitated by complaints about quality and timely delivery of food, said the notification. The beneficiaries would include GCC’s regular staff as well as workers employed through Urbaser and Ramky Enviro Engineers. The amount will be credited every month along with their salary A govt order to this effect was issued by municipal administration and water supply (MAWS) dept secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi.The free breakfast scheme was originally launched by the then CM M K Stalin last year and a contract was given for a period of three years. Rooms were also built across the city for workers to sit and eat.However, the present GO by MAWS dept said the civic body received complaints through social media, the press, directly from workers and from the project management consultant about poor food quality, delays in delivery and hygiene issues. The govt has consequently cancelled the contract with the existing contractor.Following this, GCC held a consultation meeting with sanitary workers from all 15 zones. The cash allowance scheme was announced by school education minister A Rajmohan after meeting with sanitary workers who were protesting at Ripon Buildings recently. The TVK ministers will meet sanitary workers on Oct 3 again.
