Mangalore, Apr 23 (DHNS): As many as 30 creches for the children of unorganised labourers, run by Dakshina Kannada district Council for Child Welfare with the help of the State Council for Child Welfare, are on the verge of closure, owing to the apathy of the government.
Speaking to presspersons, Dakshina Kannada district Council for Child Welfare past president Prof Hilda Rayappan said the day-care centre or creches for kids below three years function six day a week. Unfortunately, the day care workers and the assistants are paid Rs 1,250 and Rs 750 respectively. A special meeting will be convened to seek help from the donors to run the creches, at Prajna Counselling Centre on April 30.
Dakshina Kannada district Council for Child Welfare President Vasudeva Kamath said the honorarium has not been paid to the workers and assistants for the last six months. “We have taken loan to pay the honorarium for the workers and assistants who take care of 30 creches in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district.”
Udupi creches coordinator Shanthi said “Workers from the unorganised sector have minimal childcare systems within their economic and geographic reach. Few organisations that provide creches for children of domestic workers. Hence, the government started the creches for kids through Council for Child Welfare.
The creche staff meet the mothers every month to advise them about hygiene, nutrition and also report on the children’s overall development. To ensure accountability, the mothers are encouraged to pay a token fee for Council’s services although that is waived based on their economic condition.”
She said “each child is given Rs 2.08. With the meagre amount, we have to provide the child with snacks, lunch. In Udupi, children are given milk and biscuits as snacks in the morning and rice and sambar in the afternoon. At the same time, the creches are functioning in the rented buildings. We do not get adequate fund to pay the rent for the building.”
Coordinator of Dakshina Kannada Sundari said the government should revise the amount paid for each child. There are 349 children taken care by the creches in Dakshina Kannada. The creches in Udupi district has 364 children. The creches functions from 9 am to 4.30 pm, she added.
“Several workers in the creches have already said that they can not carry out the activities for a meagre amount which is paid not regularly. Many have decided to close down the creches,” she added.
A memorandum will be submitted to the DC who is the patron of the district Council for Child Welfare and Zilla Panchayat CEO.