Anganwadi Workers, Helpers protest for pensionary benefits

Anganwadi workers and helpers protest for pensionary benefits at Udhampur on Tuesday.
Anganwadi workers and helpers protest for pensionary benefits at Udhampur on Tuesday.

Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Feb 7: Anganwadi Workers and Helpers today staged a strong protest demonstration demanding pensionary benefits for them after retirement from the service.
The protest was held under the banner of Anganwadi Workers & Helpers Union. Led by Neelam Sharma, Presided AWHU and Priti Khajura, Councillor of Ward number 1, they also submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur Krittika Jyotsna.
Earlier, these Anganwadi Workers and Helpers, working under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, assembled at Shahid Bhagat Singh Park and held a protest demonstration. They marched towards the office of Deputy Commissioner and passed through Gol Market, Mukarji Bazar, Ramnagar Chowk, Salatia Chowk.
Holding banners and placards in their hands, they were raising slogans against the Government and in support of their demands. They said that there should be no retirement of ICDS workers till retirement benefits including gratuity of Rs 4 lakh per Worker and monthly pension is provided.
“Instead of changing the names and designations of Workers as well as Helpers, the delay tactics and meager wages policy needs to be changed,” they said and appealed to the LG administration to provide gratuity of Rs 4 lakh and pension to them after retirement from the service.
Priti Khajuria demanded that every Anganwadi worker and Helper who has attained the age of 60 years, be given a lump sum amount of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, respectively on or before her disengagement. She further demanded an old age pension of Rs 3000 per month for Workers and Helpers on attaining age of 60 years on the analogy of BPL old age women.
The protest demonstration was also addressed by Sushma Devi, Veena Devi, Jyoti Devi, Sheela Devi, Santosh Kumari, Laxmi Devi, Asha Sharma and Archana Devi.