Ludhiana, March 2 -- Mid-day meal workers on Sunday staged a protest outside the office of cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora, demanding a hike in their monthly honorarium.

The workers, who currently receive Rs.3,000 per month - roughly Rs.100 per day - have long been urging the state government to double the amount, citing rising inflation and increasing financial distress.

"These mid-day meal workers get just Rs.100 per day. How can anyone call this meaningful employment in today's inflationary times?" asked Sukhwinder Singh Leel of the Democratic Mulazim Federation, who led the protest.

The protesters were unable to meet the minister and instead submitted a memorandum of demands to his personal assistant.

Apart from seeking a salary hi...