CHENNAI: The nutritious meal employees attached to TNNMEA on Tuesday commenced their four day protests across the state pressing for various demands including revised pension, filling up of vacancies among others.
As the talks held with the government failed on January 19, the association decided to hold protest in all the districts of the State from Tuesday till January 23, 2026, A Jessy, secretary, the Tamil Nadu Nutritious Meal Employees Association (TNNMEA) told reporters.
"We have been hoping that our demands will be fulfilled. We met the department officials on Monday and since the talks have failed, we are forced to stage protest till January 23 in all the district capitals," she added.
Expressing her disappointment with the DMK Government for not fulfilling the associations' long-pending demands, she said over 71,000 workers are taking part in the protests across Tamil Nadu.
"Tamil Nadu has over 1 lakh nutritious meal centres and 71,000 workers are engaged in it. This Association has been functioning for the last 45 years and we have been poorly paid. Our pension is Rs 2,000 only. During the 2021 elections, the DMK promised that it will fulfil our demands. But in the last 4.5 years it did not," she alleged.
"Since our demands are not met, we are forced to protest. If government is ready to talk with us, we are ready to reconsider our decision," she said.
As part of intensifying their protest, the association has also planned to stage an agitation in front of the District Collectorates on January 24 and 25, across Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, the PMK faction led by Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, in a statement said that due to the protests initiated by the nutritious meal workers, "the students depending on these centres will face a situation where they cannot get food".
The Nutritious meal workers serve as the backbone of the government administration. They are the ones who act as a bridge between the government and the people, the statement urged.
"Without further delay, the government should hold talks with the nutritious meal workers and fulfil their demands," it further said.