Thu Jan 02 01:37:00 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Announces Retirement Benefit for Midday Meal Workers
**Bengaluru, January 2, 2025** – The Karnataka state government has announced a one-time retirement benefit for midday meal workers, fulfilling a long-standing demand from the workers’ unions. Over 1.19 lakh midday meal workers in government and aided schools across the state will be eligible for the benefit.
Workers who have served for 15 years or more will receive ₹40,000 upon retirement at age 60, while those with more than five but fewer than 15 years of service will receive ₹30,000. The benefit applies to workers who retired on or after March 31, 2022.
This decision follows years of protests by midday meal workers who, as non-government employees, previously received no retirement benefits. While the government’s move is welcomed, concerns remain. The State president of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, S. Varalakshmi, noted that over 10,000 workers who reached age 60 and were dismissed before the benefit was approved have been excluded. The union is urging the government to extend the benefit to these workers as well. This marks the first instance of a state-level retirement benefit for midday meal workers in India.
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