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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday, February 9, announced the extension of the state’s free-meals scheme to all sanitary workers across Tamil Nadu.
The announcement was made at a meeting in Thiruvallur, where the Chief Minister also unveiled a series of welfare measures, including housing support, loans, insurance coverage, and educational assistance for sanitation workers.
In a post on X (Twitter), Stalin said the government had earlier decided in November to provide free meals to 29,455 sanitary workers of the Greater Chennai Corporation, and the scheme has now been expanded to cover 48,768 sanitary workers in 24 corporations, 29,556 sanitary workers in 145 municipalities, and 21,910 sanitary workers in 479 town panchayats.
An annual budget of Rs 213.19 crore has been allocated for the purpose which will benefit over 1.3 lakh sanitary workers, according to the CM.
The Chief Minister also announced housing assistance, insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh, an additional Rs 5 lakh financial assistance through the Cleanliness Workers Welfare Board, special focus on the identification and treatment of occupational diseases, self-employment support with a subsidy of 35% of project costs up to Rs 3.5 lakh, and educational assistance for the children of sanitation workers to pursue higher education.
However, the announcement drew criticism from labour unions. Advocate Suresh of Uzhaipor Urimai Iyakkam, the union that led sanitation workers’ protests, said the quality and timing of food distribution were poor. “In Coimbatore, sanitary workers received food in garbage trucks. It would be better to provide a food allowance so workers can buy quality food themselves,” he said, calling the move an “eyewash” ahead of elections.