Anganwadi workers to begin indefinite protest in Bengaluru from March 23

The Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers Association, affiliated with the Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), will launch an indefinite protest in Bengaluru from March 23, demanding fulfillment of long-pending demands regarding wages, service conditions and strengthening of anganwadis across the state.

Gauramma Patil, regional president of the association, told media persons here on Friday that the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which has completed 50 years, continues to play a key role in providing nutrition, health and pre-school education to children under the age of six. However, he alleged that wages of Anganwadi workers remain low.

Ms. Patil demanded universal coverage of children under six years of age under ICDS, inclusion of below minimum wage anganwadi workers with social security benefits like ESI and PF, and improvement of food quality through locally sourced nutrition.

The activist also demanded that vacancies in the posts of anganwadi workers, helpers, supervisors and Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) be filled and staff be exempted from non-essential duties such as election-related work. He also asked for timely release of funds for operational expenses, including food, rent and utilities, and payment of outstanding gratuity dues.

Other demands include revising the wage, introducing group health insurance, providing basic infrastructure such as mobile devices and internet connectivity, and withdrawing some digital systems. The association also called for an extension of menstrual leave and health benefits, an increase in pensions for retired workers by up to £10,000 a month and the creation of a separate ICDS directorate.

Anganwadi workers have opposed the proposed direct benefit transfer (DBT) mechanism for food distribution and urged the government to fulfill its promise to revise the wages of anganwadi workers during the elections.