Hassan: Fifty years are approaching since the start of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). There are constitutional duties of upbringing, nutrition, education of children. And the duties of the Food Security Act, 2013, the Right to Education Act, 2009 are being implemented by the Anganwadi workers and helpers through the statutory Anganwadi centres.
The Supreme Court and the Gujarat High Court have also ruled that the Central and State Governments should frame Janti Rules to treat them as Grade 3 and 4 employees while the former has also ruled that they are eligible for Gratuity under the Gratuity Payment Act, 1972.
The ICDS, which contributes to the development of the country by protecting human beings from malnutrition and disabilities, envisages developing them mentally and physically, and contributing to the regeneration of human society, which has been maintained as a project even after 49 years.
After 2014 however, the concept of government welfare programmes has been replaced by the “60:40 ratio”, as recommended by NITI Aayog, and the Central government has been continuously reducing budget grants, shunning its basic responsibility, allege Anganwadi workers.
The unit cost of nutritious food provided to Anganwadi children has not been increased since 2018 and GST has been imposed, which is a failure to provide quality food as mandated, they claim.
To add salt to the wound, the salaries of Anganwadi employees have not been increased and are only limited to new and attractive slogans.
“To weaken Anganwadi centres in the state, the Education Department is trying in different ways to relocate children above the age of 4 to various facilities. The MMA Department has decided to stop this and convert Anganwadi centres into pre-primary education centres, which is a historic decision. But these decisions can only be strengthened if the necessary funds are released for this and a separate directorate is set up within the ICDS to oversee it,” they say.
It has also been stated that those who work more than four hours per day should be given minimum wages as mentioned under the Minimum Wages Act of 1948. But no government has come forward to implement this. Anganwadi workers urge the government to take immediate action to increase the wages to Rs 3,500 and Rs 1,750.
The Congress government should immediately take action to improve the lives of 12 lakh Anganwadi poor women who are working for human development. Since December 17, Anganwadi centres are being closed in district centres and a day-night protest is being currently held. On December 18, a big day-night protest will be held during the winter assembly session in Belgaum. We demand that the problems of Anganwadi workers be discussed in the session and the following demands be met, they said. The demands are as follows:
- As per the Gujarat High Court verdict, workers and helpers should be considered as category 3 and 4 employees and made permanent.
- As per the order of M.M.E 14 ICD 2023, gratuity money should be released immediately and the benefit applied to everyone.
- Since the Central government has not increased any honorarium since 2018, it should increase the honorarium to Rs. 26,000 pm.
- Retirees should be given IDI or NPS money and a monthly pension of Rs. 10,000.
- LKG-UKG facility started by the Education Department and SDMCs should be stopped and all Anganwadi centres should be upgraded and LKG-UKG should be started in Anganwadi centres only.
- A separate directorate is needed for this profession.
- Anganwadi centres should be provided with basic facilities.
- Vacant posts should be filled within 3 months, else, overtime pay should be given to workers.
- “Take Home” option should be provided in Anganwadi centres where there is no helper. Otherwise, the worker should be given the authority to hire a temporary helper.
- Vacant and new centre staff should be given promotions and transfers as per government orders and only then new appointments should be made.
- Mini Anganwadi centres should be provided with helpers until they are converted into full-scale centres and honorarium should be increased to the level of a full worker.
- Results should not be asked for without depositing pay, chicken eggs, rent, gas, vegetables, and contingency bills in advance.
- If the activities of the Anganwadi centre are recorded on mobile phones, recording them in books should be stopped.
- Technical and practical issues should be resolved to put the face value on the Ghoshan Tracker.
- Chairs should be arranged for Anganwadi workers in the monthly and honorarium meetings conducted by the department. This is a demand to protect the basic dignity of these professionals.
- Nutritious food and pre-primary education should be made a fundamental right. The ICDS scheme should be made into an Act.
