Union Meeting Discusses Key Issues and Demands for Anganwadi Workers and Helpers in Himachal
The state committee meeting of the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union, affiliated with CITU Himachal Pradesh, was recently held at the CITU state office, Kisan Mazdoor Bhawan, Chitkara Park, Kaithu, Shimla. The meeting saw participation from prominent figures, including CITU State President Vijender Mehra, General Secretary Prem Gautam, Union President Neelam Jaswal, General Secretary Veena Sharma, Khimi Bhandari, Pingla Gupta, Meena, Hardei, Reena, Champa Anju, Rekha, Dhanvanti, Bimla, Anjula, Shanta, Meera, Geeta, Premlata, Rama, Poonam, Asha, Sushma, Nita, Sunita, Savitri, and others.
Following the meeting, a delegation from the union met with the Director of the Department of Women and Child Development to present a 30-point demand charter. The key demands included the release of five months of pending salaries for Mini Anganwadi workers and timely payment for other Anganwadi personnel. The Director assured the delegation of prompt action to resolve these issues.
The union announced that if their demands are not met, they will launch a statewide protest across various project levels in September and October.
Vijender Mehra, Prem Gautam, Neelam Jaswal, and Veena Sharma addressed the meeting, highlighting several key demands. They called for 100% appointments in pre-primary education, the removal of the 45-year age limit for such appointments, and the recognition of degrees from any accredited university in India for supervisor appointments. They also demanded immediate recruitment of matriculate and graduate workers as supervisors based on seniority, recognition as government employees, salary and seniority benefits similar to those in Haryana, medical and other leave benefits akin to Punjab, the extension of retirement age to 65, upgrading all Mini Anganwadi centers to full Anganwadi centers, adequate financial assistance for uniforms, provision of mobile recharge and stationery, a stop to salary deductions during medical or illness periods, and addressing issues with the Poshan Tracker app. The union also expressed strong opposition to the privatization of ICDS under the guise of Nand Ghar and criticized the Direct Benefit Transfer, Poshan Tracker app, and 30% budget cuts, urging Anganwadi workers to intensify their struggle against the Modi government.
They warned the central government that any privatization of ICDS or failure to recognize Anganwadi workers as regular employees would escalate the protest. The union emphasized that privatization under Nand Ghar and the involvement of Vedanta would not be tolerated, as it would jeopardize future employment for workers. They reiterated the demand for regularization of Anganwadi workers per the 45th Indian Labour Conference recommendations of 2013 and called for the Mini Anganwadi workers to be granted full status and equal pay. They also demanded pension, gratuity, medical, and leave benefits, and suggested that Anganwadi workers be entrusted with teaching responsibilities for small children under the new education policy, given their extensive training. Additionally, they called for increased salaries, regularization, incentives for election duties, immediate filling of vacant Anganwadi and helper positions, and double payment for extra work.
