CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Nutritious Meal Employees' Association has welcomed the announcement by Chief Minister MK Stalin to increase pension and retirement benefits for noon meal workers.

The CM in the Assembly on Saturday announced that the pension amount for noon meal organisers will be increased to Rs 3,400 per month from Rs 2,000. The retirement benefit has also been hiked to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 1 lakh.

Noon meal organisers will also receive an enhanced family pension of Rs 1,200.

The pension for cooks and cooking assistants of the scheme has been increased to Rs 3,000 from Rs 2,000. The retirement benefits have been increased to Rs 1 lakh from Rs 50,000 earlier.

Speaking to DT NEXT, an office bearer of the association said, "We welcome the announcement made by the CM. Our protests over several years have yielded results. We are glad that the demand finally saw the light of day."

"Though the amount announced by the CM is not the exact sum we requested for, nevertheless, we appreciate the hike," he added.

The noon meal workers had demanded implementing time-scale pay, paying Rs 5 lakh to noon meal workers upon retirement, and a monthly pension of Rs 9,000 to workers as an aid to family members and to fill vacancies.