Bhubaneswar, Feb 17: On Saturday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik shared some good news for the cooks and assistants who prepare mid-day meals in schools across the State. Their salaries are getting a boost from Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,000, which will make a big difference in their lives. 

This increase will positively impact the cooks and assistants working in 55,000 schools statewide, with the government allocating Rs 74 crore annually for this purpose.

What's more, this pay raise will be retroactive from October 2023, ensuring that the workers receive the increased salary for the hours they've already worked. Additionally, in a gesture of support, the CM announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 lakh to the families of cooks and assistants in case of any unfortunate incidents resulting in loss of life during their duties.

This move is expected to benefit around 1.10 lakh cooks and assistants employed in schools throughout the state, demonstrating the government's commitment to improving the livelihoods of these essential workers.

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