Noon-meal workers stage protest in Coimbatore; demand pension hike

Noon-meal workers staged a objection successful beforehand of the Coimbatore Collectorate connected January 20, 2026 (Tuesday), urging the authorities to code their livelihood-related demands. 

Under the banner of the Tamil Nadu Noon-Meal Employees’ Association (TNNMEA), the protesters demanded a monthly pension of ₹9,000, akin to the minimum pension provided to authorities employees done the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme. 

The protestation led by N. Banulatha, Coimbatore territory president of the association, saw the information of implicit 500 workers. 

“Most of the noon-meal workers, contempt moving for 35 to 45 years, are incapable to payment from the schemes disposable to regular authorities employees” said Ms. Banulatha. She pointed retired that the existent pension of the noon-meal workers and anganwadi workers was ₹2,000, and wanted it to beryllium accrued to ₹9,000.

The relation besides sought time-scale pay, promotions for cooking assistants with 5 years of acquisition arsenic cooks, contiguous filling of vacancies, nonstop proviso of state cylinders to centres, and the transportation of meal strategy to the noon-meal workers.

Following the protest, the constabulary detained 550 demonstrators, including 5 men, arsenic they did not comply with the acquisition to disperse.