Anganwadi workers to go on fast from March 11

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 2

Members of the All-Punjab Anganwadi Workers’ Union held a meeting at the Children’s Park to discuss the future course of action regarding their long-standing demands here on Monday. Representatives of the union announced that they would launch a state-wide indefinite hunger strike in front of the residence of Minister of Social Security, Women and Child Development Aruna Chaudhary from March 11 onwards.

Hargobind Kaur, president of the union, said, “If our long-standing demands are not met, we would start an indefinite hunger strike in front of the minister’s residence in Dinanagar from March 11 onwards. The state government has been making hollow promises. Both the state and the Union Government have meted out step-motherly treatment to anganwadi workers and helpers for decades.”

Hargobind Kaur added, “We demand that either the government should regularise our services or provide an honorarium of Rs 24,000 to workers and Rs 18,000 to helpers on a monthly basis. The salaries of crèche workers must be released without any delay. The vacant posts of anganwadi workers and helpers must be filled on priority. We have been demanding an increased honorarium of Rs 1,500 for workers and Rs 900 for helpers per month.

“As per the conditions of the Union Government, the state government did not put in its share to provide full honorarium. The state government has rather promised to pay us Rs 900 as honorarium. But we have not been getting it for the past few months,” she said.

“Also, the government had even decided to provide an ex gratia for Rs 1 lakh to anganwadi workers and Rs 50,000 to helpers retiring at the age of 70, but it has not provided these amounts to the retiring workers so far. The demand for job regularisation has been lying pending for decades and there are no retirement benefits for the anganwadi workers,” added Hargobind Kaur.