Aurangabad, Nov 7:
Cook-cum-helpers hired for Mid-Day meal scheme in the district were deprived of their honorarium for the past five months.Members of Self-Help Groups work as cook-cum-helpers in many schools for cooking meal under the scheme.Shishak Bharti demanded that the honorarium for the five months-June to October-should be released before Diwali festival.District president of Shikshak Bharti Prakash Dani said that though schools were shut down, they worked in rice and pulses distribution, care and cleaning of grains. The honorarium was not given as the file is yet to get administrative approval. Each of them gets Rs 1500 honorarium.The union said that the honorarium is very meagre and that too is not getting on time. Sunil Chipate, Santosh Tathe, Kishor Kadam, Machhindra Bharade, Mahendra Bharade, Mahendra Barwal and others threatened to launch an agitation if the demand is not fulfilled.