Jagan slams AP govt over 'Smart Kitchens', says 85K jobs at risk

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy criticises AP govt's 'Smart Kitchens' plan, saying it threatens the jobs of 85,000 mid-day meal workers. He alleges their salaries have been withheld and demands the govt increase their wages as promised.

Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has strongly criticised the Andhra Pradesh government for jeopardising the livelihoods of nearly 85,000 women engaged in cooking mid-day meals in government schools. Taking to the X platform, he stated that the government is using the proposed "Smart Kitchens" initiative as a pretext to benefit its own supporters while pushing thousands of women workers, many of whom have served for over two decades, into uncertainty and unemployment.

YS Jagan pointed out that the government has also failed to pay these workers their salaries for the past two months, further worsening their financial hardship. He recalled that when the YSRCP assumed office, the honorarium for mid-day meal workers was increased from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 3,000 per month, and stated that the present government had promised to do even more for them before the elections. Instead, he said, it is now attempting to remove them under the guise of the Smart Kitchens policy, leaving thousands of women without a livelihood.

'Dangerous Game' With Workers' Lives

Targeting Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, Reddy posted, "Mr. @ncbn is playing a dangerous game with the lives of nearly 85,000 elder sisters who cook midday meals in government schools. Many of them have been working for over 20 years. Now, under the guise of "smart kitchens," he's scheming to fill the bellies of his party workers while leaving these women out in the cold. As part of this plot, they've been withholding the salaries that should have been paid to them for the past two months. "

YSRCP Vows to Support Workers

YS Jagan reaffirmed that the YSR Congress Party will stand firmly with the mid-day meal workers and fight on their behalf. He demanded the immediate release of the two months' pending wages and urged the government to honour its election promise by increasing their remuneration, rather than dismantling the livelihood of thousands of women who have dedicated years of service to the welfare of government school children.

"Back when the YSRCP government came to power, we raised the wages for midday meal workers from Rs. 1,000 to up to Rs. 3,000. Mr. Chandrababu had promised that before these elections, we'd wake up and increase them further--but now, in the name of smart kitchens, he's eliminating them and turning their lives upside down. We will fight on behalf of the midday meal workers and stand by them. We are demanding the immediate release of their already withheld salaries. Likewise, we are firmly demanding that their wages be increased as promised," he posted on X. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)