PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE / Dehradun
Anganwadi workers have threatened to start an indefinite sit-in to press for their unmet charter of demands. Sharing this information, the president of the Anganwadi Workers Association Rekha Negi said that the decision had been taken during a protest meeting held on Thursday at Deen Dayal Upadyay Park, where many Anganwadi workers were present.
She stated that these workers have been voicing their demands for a considerably long time, but no action has been taken to address them. Their key demands include an increase in the honorarium of Anganwadi workers by Rs 140 per day by the State government. Further, they urged the proposal of an increase of Rs 150 to the Central government for approval.
Moreover, they demand that the proposed deduction of Rs 300 from their salaries should only be implemented after a government order is issued to grant Rs 10 lakh to Anganwadi workers upon retirement. “Until this is done, Rs 300 should not be deducted from our accounts. Besides, Anganwadi workers’ attendance should not be linked to biometric machines,” she said.
Negi further said that to press these demands, a State-level rally was staged on March 14. “We were mishandled by the authorities during the rally when we were attempting to submit a memorandum to the chief minister. The administration not just stopped us from proceeding but bundled us into vehicles, an action which is shameful and reprehensible,” she asserted.
