CITU Anganwadi Workers organized a condolence meeting Theog on the issue of murder of Reena Devi

Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union Theog project unit of CITU organized a condolence meeting at Sarai Hall of Theog on the issue of murder of Reena Devi, worker of Kot Anganwadi center of Balag circle on February 9. After this, a vigorous rally and demonstration was held to get justice for Reena Devi. The rally which started from the Public Works Department Rest House reached the ICDS Project Officer’s office via Theog Bazar and staged a sit-in amidst loud slogans. About two hundred Anganwadi workers including Reena, Kala, Satya, Sunita, Gangeshwari, Lata, Nirmala, Mamta were present in the demonstration.

The demonstration was addressed by CITU State President Vijender Mehra, District General Secretary Ajay Dulata, District Secretary Sunil Mehta and Anganwadi Union District General Secretary Khimi Bhandari. During this, the delegation of the union met the Theog Project Officer of ICDS and handed over the memorandum to the director of the department through him. The speakers demanded the state government to provide financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the victim’s family for the murder committed during official duty. He demanded that one member from the victim’s family be given a regular government job in the Women and Child Development Department, Himachal Pradesh. He warned that if the victim’s family does not get financial help and a government job, then the union will intensify the movement. He said that Anganwadi workers and assistants are already victims of heavy economic and social exploitation. They get only 9 thousand and 4700 rupees honorarium. This is very less compared to the whole country. Salary and social security to Anganwadi workers in the neighboring states of Haryana and Punjab are many times better than in Himachal Pradesh. They do not get pension, gratuity, EPF etc facilities despite the order of Hon’ble Supreme Court. They are not being regularized despite the recommendations of the 15th Indian Labor Conference. Privatization has started by handing over Anganwadi centers to Vedanta company. The budget of ICDS is being cut continuously. Employees are being mentally exploited in the name of nutrition tracker app. Workers working in mini Anganwadi centers are victims of double exploitation. Due to non-appointment of assistants, they are given three thousand rupees less honorarium than the common Anganwadi workers, despite taking equal work from two workers. Anganwadi workers are also being excluded from pre-primary recruitments. They do not get full honorarium in lump sum. The rent of Anganwadi centers is also less. There is no timely payment of ration money. In spite of working in such conditions, there is no social security for the workers. Reena Devi’s murder is a direct proof of this, where a person killed her in broad daylight inside the Anganwadi center. Reena Devi did not get any financial assistance from the department on the lines of a regular employee, even after the murder happened during the service.