Anganwadi workers to stage indefinite strike from tomorrow

Karnataka Rajya Anganwadi Naukarara Sangha has announced that it will begin an indefinite strike from December 1, urging the Union government to address long-pending issues related to the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme.

State working president of the sangha Shanta ghanti, CITU district president M.B. Sajjan and vice-president Gouramma Patil, addressing a press conference here on Friday, said that although ICDS, launched in 1975, had played a crucial role in improving social indicators and the country’s human development index (HDI), the scheme had been weakened over the years. They alleged that the funding pattern was reduced to 60:40 after the introduction of NITI Aayog; and anganwadi centres had failed to receive adequate budgets and were struggling to maintain basic facilities needed to support children.

Ms. Ghanti and Ms. Patil highlighted that nearly 28 lakh anganwadi workers and helpers continued to work for very low honorarium. They said that the anganwadi workers from Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru South, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur districts would shut down anganwadi centres and join protests in Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Mandya and Hubballi from December 1, and also submit memorandums to all elected Lok Sabha members across the State, seeking their intervention. The agitation would continue until Union Ministers visited the protest sites, received their memorandum and assure to address their long-pending demands in the Budget.

The anganwadi workers demanded that the Union government officially celebrate the 50th anniversary of ICDS and to make the ICDS scheme permanent, or at least set up a separate directorate until it is regularised. Workers are also demanding a raise in their honorarium, pointing out that they still receive only ₹2,700 and ₹1,350, and have urged the government to implement minimum wages. They want the Facial Recognition System (FRS) to be removed, or Wi-Fi to be provided in all Anganwadi centres if it is continued.

The workers have also sought exemption from election duties and have demanded that they be treated as government employees with proper legal benefits. They further want to be recognised as Grade III and Grade IV staff and have requested that LKG and UKG classes be introduced in all anganwadi centres to strengthen early education.