On the call of the state committee of the Mid-Day Meal Workers Union, affiliated with CITU, mid-day meal (MDM) workers staged protests across several districts of Himachal Pradesh on October 30, 2026, against the government's decision to distribute 10 months' wages over 12 months and its failure to address their long-pending demands. Memorandums highlighting their demands were submitted to the Director of School Education through departmental authorities in various places.

In Shimla, a protest was organised outside the Directorate of School Education, in which CITU state president Vijender Mehra, state treasurer Jagat Ram, district treasurer Balak Ram, district secretary Vivek Kashyap, Mid-Day Meal Workers Union state general secretary Shanti Devi and several other workers participated. Following the demonstration, a union delegation approached the Director of School Education to present their demands.

Addressing the protesters, CITU and union leaders strongly criticised the state government for distributing wages meant for 10 months over 12 months, thereby reducing the monthly payments received by workers. They termed the decision unjust and demanded immediate implementation of the Himachal Pradesh High Court's single and division bench judgments directing payment of wages for the full 12 months.

This was part of the continuing struggle of mid-day meal workers for their rights, dignity and livelihood security. Earlier, in June thousands of workers had organised a massive rally in Shimla, raising the same demands and urging the state government to address their long-pending grievances.

Nearly 21,000 workers are engaged in preparing and serving meals to schoolchildren across Himachal Pradesh. Despite their vital contribution to children's nutrition, health and education, they continue to face extremely low wages, irregular payments, job insecurity and a lack of basic social security benefits. Wage payments are often delayed by up to three months, causing serious financial hardship for their families. Even after years of dedicated service, these workers remain deprived of pension and gratuity benefits, while the existing leave provisions remain inadequate.

The union leaders highlighted two significant achievements of their sustained struggle. First, Himachal Pradesh has introduced 12 days of paid annual leave for mid-day meal workers on the pattern of Punjab, becoming the second state in the country to provide this benefit. Second, the state has ensured job protection for mid-day meal workers in cases of school closure or merger. According to the union, Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to ensure that mid-day meal workers will not lose their jobs merely because their schools are closed or merged. These are important victories of collective struggle and sustained union mobilisation. However, several key demands remain unresolved.

The union demanded that the state government immediately implement the High Court judgments and ensure payment of full wages for 12 months instead of distributing 10 months' wages over 12 instalments. It also demanded a minimum monthly wage of ₹7,000 on the pattern of Haryana, payment of full wages on the first day of every month, and enhancement of annual leave from the existing 12 days to 20 days on the pattern of Anganwadi workers.

Other major demands include removal of the 25-children condition, effective implementation of job protection in cases of school closure or merger, pension and gratuity upon retirement, reimbursement of medical examination expenses, additional remuneration for election-related duties, extension of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme up to Class XII, and formulation of a clear policy for regularisation of workers.

The leaders also criticised the practice of assigning additional duties to mid-day meal workers during elections, including preparing food for polling parties, without providing additional remuneration. Similarly, workers are required to undergo medical examinations three times a year but must bear the expenses of medical tests and travel themselves.

The leaders accused the government of failing to address these outstanding demands despite repeated representations, court judgments and sustained protests. They urged the state government to resolve the issues without further delay and warned that the agitation would be intensified if the demands remained unaddressed.

The union leaders further announced that the ongoing struggle of mid-day meal workers would be carried forward as part of a broader national movement. Responding to CITU's national call, id-day meal workers in Himachal Pradesh will actively participate in the nationwide workers' mobilisation from December 1 to 3, 2026. During this the demands of id-day meal workers, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, other scheme workers and workers across various sectors will be prominently raised, including higher wages, regularisation of services, job security, pension, social security benefits and protection of labour rights.

The union leaders called upon all scheme workers and the wider working class to unite and strengthen the nationwide movement for their rights, dignity and livelihood security.