THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, March 6: The Jharkhand government has decided to increase the monthly honorarium for school cooks from ₹2,000 to ₹3,000. The announcement was made during the state Assembly’s budget session after concerns were raised over pay disparities between different beneficiary groups.
Minister Confirms Pay Raise
Responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Satyendra Nath Tiwari, Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu confirmed the salary hike, stating that the revised amount would be disbursed before Holi. The increase was approved in the third supplementary budget.
Previously, the central government contributed ₹600 and the state ₹1,400 to the ₹2,000 honorarium. With the latest revision, the Hemant Soren-led government has taken full responsibility for increasing the amount to ₹3,000.
Also Read: IIT ISM Dhanbad student found dead in hostel washroom
Debate Over Pay Disparity
During the discussion, Tiwari criticized the government for paying non-working women ₹2,500 under the Maiyaan Samman Yojana while working school cooks and health assistants received less. He argued that this disparity had caused dissatisfaction among women and questioned whether school cooks were being unfairly overlooked.
Ruling party MLA Rameshwar Oraon supported Tiwari’s concerns, stating that salaries should be based on work, while welfare schemes serve a different purpose. While praising the Maiyaan Samman Yojana, he urged the government to address the imbalance in payments.
The issue has sparked discussions on fair compensation for women workers in Jharkhand, putting pressure on the government to review its policies.
