Manipla: Anganwadi workers of Kundapur Taluk staged a protest in front of the DC’s Office on Monday, 2nd February against the government’s inhuman approach towards Anganwadi workers.
Addressing the protesters, CITU leader Adamaru Shripathi Acharya alleged that the government is into privatisation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which would be costly for anganwadi workers.
“The state government’s behaviour is a form of harassment on women who work in anganwadi. The recommendations of ICDS Mission Mode project are detrimental in terms of interest of anganwadi workers. It recommends changes in the basic facilities, maintenance and service distribution of ICDS.”
“The recommendations also say that the nutritious food provided in Anganwadis would be discontinued and in place, the education over nutrition would be started. Besides, recommendations to transfer funds from ICDS to private nurseries have been made to strengthen the concept of pre-nursery care taking and education.”
He alleged that the anganwadi workers who work like foster parents are deprived of a justifiable amount of salary and a decent livelihood. He demanded that the state government should immediately drop the ICDS Mission Mode recommendations.
ICDS should not be handed over to NGOs, corporate houses and SHGs. ICDS should not be privatized and it should be upgraded into a separate department. He demanded that all Anganwadis should be upgraded and converted into permanent nurseries.
The Anganwadi workers should be considered as 3rd and 4th grade government employees. The wages should be hiked up to Rs 15000, while the service weightage should be increased to Rs 500 every phase.
He added that anganwadi workers should not be given additional work other than that of the ICDS. Rules should be formulated to reappoint the dismissed Anganwadi workers. The vacant posts in the department like CDPO, program officers, supervisors, Anganwadi workers and assistants should be filled immediately. The honorariums should be paid on time.
“Mini Anganwadis should be upgraded into full-fledged Anganwadis. The health care needs of the workers should be taken care off. The department should protect the Anganwadi workers from being used by local set ups for work.”
“The government should deposit Rs 600 to the bank account of the workers instead of providing the uniform. Basic infrastructural facilities to all Anganwadis should be assured. Leave facilities available to the schoolteachers should be extended to the Anganwadi workers. The age relaxation for the recruitment of Anganwadi workers should also be considered,” he added.
