Anganwadi workers dharna at Delhi

More than 20000 anganwadi workers and helpers from all over the country participated in a massive dharna near Parliament 24th February 2011. A presidium comprising representatives of all the constituent federations conducted the proceedings.

In addition to the leaders of the federations of the anganwadi employees, the leaders of the central trade unions also addressed the gathering. Despite the claims of robust economic growth, India has the dubious record of having around half of the malnourished children in the world. The government of India has not made adequate financial allocations for Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), a flagship programme of the government of India for the development of children below 6 years of age, the invaluable future human resources of the country. While the revised plan outlay for ICDS in the 11th Five Year Plan was Rs. 72, 877.52 crores, the budgetary allocations for the four years of the 11th Plan period, including in the last Budget, were Rs 26,998 crores, which was only around one third of the requirement.
The anganwadi workers and helpers, who are the most important functionaries in the effective implementation of the ICDS, are among the most exploited sections of the workers today. Despite working for 30 – 35 years, they are not recognised as government employees; they are not paid minimum wages. While the prices of all the essential commodities have skyrocketed, their meagre remuneration has not been increased by the Government of India since the last three years. Thousands of anganwadi employees are being forced out from their jobs on attaining 58 years without any compensation. They do not get any social security benefits like pension, gratuity etc.

The speakers highlighted the following demands of the anganwadi employees - • Immediate enhancement of the remuneration of the anganwadi employees ensuring minimum wages applicable to skilled workers and semi skilled workers to the anganwadi workers and helpers respectively
• Pension, gratuity, PF and other social security benefits to all the anganwadi employees
• Regularise anganwadi workers and helpers as Grade III and Grade IV employees
• Dearness Allowance automatically linked to the Consumer Price Index
• Stop privatisation of ICDS in any manner including handing it over to NGOs, SHGs, Corporates etc; the government should take the full responsibility of implementation of ICDS
• Convert all mini anganwadi centres into regular anganwadi centres
• Ensure proper infrastructure facilities including pucca buildings, drinking water, toilets etc in all the anganwadi centres; Ensure provision of good quality food in adequate quantities to be freshly cooked and distributed in the anganwadi centres
The leaders demanded that at least Rs 25000 crores be allocated in the ensuing Budget for ICDS including for the immediate increase in the remuneration for the anganwadi employees and providing them pension and gratuity.
All India federation of Anganwadi workers and helpers (CITU) president Neelima Moitra, General Secretary Com. Hemalatha, Joint Secretary A R Sindhu led the rally.