Thursday, 18 July 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Anganwadi workers have raised concerns about the mandatory online attendance system impacting their salaries. The president of the Anganwadi Workers Association Rekha Negi informed that in 2018, the State government distributed smartphones to Anganwadi workers for updating monthly data. Negi said that while about 20,000 smartphones were provided for this purpose, the regular updation of attendance was not obligatory back then.
Negi further added that that over time, smartphones belonging to numerous State Anganwadi workers have become damaged and are not functioning properly. Additionally, the State government has recently mandated that Anganwadi workers must now regularly mark their attendance online using smartphones. She emphasised that many of these workers hail from mountainous regions where network connectivity is a major issue. Further, a significant portion of them are over 50 years old and lack proficiency in handling smartphones. Negi also pointed out that due to insufficient understanding of smartphones and network issues, many Anganwadi workers struggle to mark their attendance on time, resulting in potential deductions from their salaries. She further emphasised the importance of the hard copy requirement for attendance instead of utilising the online method for submitting attendance. She expressed concern that the government is exploiting Anganwadi workers.
Negi further highlighted the inadequate amount provided by the Women Empowerment and Child Development (WECD) department for internet recharge, stating that the allocated Rs 200 for six months per worker is insufficient as internet recharge costs are rising. She emphasised the difficulty of marking attendance online daily due to this limitation and suggested that the government request updates on centre activities at the end of each month instead. Negi warned that if the government fails to address their concerns, they will resort to staging a protest on the streets.
