Silvester D’ Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, July 3: The association of Anganwadi workers and assistants staged protests here in support of their demands and their fulfillment on Monday.

They said that their jobs are unstable even after working at Anganwadi centres for the last 48 years. “Our issues will be solved if our jobs are made permanent. A minimum wage of Rs 21,000 should be approved for us,” they urged the chief minister.

“The officers should stop insisting on us to conduct a survey under the department of health. The orders were withheld due to election work as most of the Anganwadi workers were BLOs. The children below the age of three years joining the Anganwadi should be carefully looked after. The work will be obstructed if we remain away for the survey as demanded. The mobile phones provided to us have got spoilt and the government apps do not work in our personal mobiles,” they said.

“Asha workers have been assigned the work of the health department since the last eight years. They are paid allowances. No allowances are being paid to us even though we do the work of the health department and Anganwadis. The work of the health department should be assigned completely to the Asha workers in the future and good education should be made possible for our children,” they said.

“A few supervisors are harassing Anganwadi workers. Our salary should be paid before the fifth of every month. Tenders for supply of eggs should be cancelled and the amount should be deposited into the accounts of Bala Vikasa committee. The DC should direct the officials to hold grievance meetings once in three months,” they urged the department officials and the tahsildar in their written request.

District president of the Anganwadi workers and assistants association, Philomena, district secretary Baby Shetty and others were present.