The Tamil Nadu Noon Meal Employees Association led sit-in-protests resulting in hundreds of women anganwadi workers courting arrests in Krishnagiri on Tuesday (January 20, 2026).
According to the noon-meal workers, they were promised by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in its election manifesto that they would be given a time-scale pay providing them with structured remuneration. But, according to the protesters, that was yet to be implemented despite several protests.
They also slammed the government for the other manifesto promises that were not fulfilled, including a family pension and health cover, a one-time settlement of ₹5 lakh for noon-meal coordinators and ₹3 lakhs for cooking assistants and retirement settlements.
The protesters demanded the government honour its promise. The protests witnessed over hundred women staging a sit-in outside the Collectorate. The protesters courted arrests and were later released.
