Chennai: Cleanliness workers to get food allowance

CHENNAI: The State government is planning to restructure the breakfast scheme for cleanliness workers in Chennai by replacing the existing morning meal with a food allowance.

School Education Minister Rajmohan confirmed this development in the Assembly on Monday. During Zero Hour, CPI member T Ramachandran raised the demands of cleanliness workers who are staging a protest. Replying to him, Rajmohan, who held two rounds of talks with the protesting workers, said the government would set up toilets with dressing rooms for workers at 107 locations by September 15. Such facilities are already available at 93 locations, he said.

"The government will provide masks and hand gloves to the workers in Zones 4, 7 and 8 of the Corporation. Considering the workers' wishes, the government is considering providing a food allowance instead of morning breakfast," Rajmohan said.

Explaining the salary package for the workers, the minister said the Chennai district Collector had fixed the daily wage for sanitation workers at Rs 832. The government was also considering their demand for a salary hike, he added. "Considering the demands of the workers, biometric attendance will be abolished, and an attendance register will be maintained," Rajmohan said, adding that the workers' demand to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who holds the Municipal Administration and Water Supply portfolio, would also be considered.