* Demand hike in honorarium, regularization
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 3: Anganwadi workers and helpers of the ICDS projects of State Social Welfare Department held strong protest demonstration at the office of Divisional Commissioner, here today.
A large number of ICDS women workers deployed at various Anganwadi Centres in the region today led by J&K National Trade Union Front leader Mohd Gafoor Dar assembled at Panama Chowk on Railway Station Road in the morning at around 11 am and then in the shape of large procession, moved towards the office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu, at Rail Head Complex. After holding strong protest demonstration in support of their demands of regularization and enhancement of honorarium, they sat on day long dharna. They were shouting loud slogans in support of their demands.
It was the second day of the ‘three-day protest programme’ of the Anganwadi workers and helpers to draw the attention of the Government towards the long pending issues of the ICDS workers. They pointed out that there are about 60,000 Anganwadi workers and helpers in the State. They are working on the meager amount while their counter parts in Delhi, Harayana and Punjab are getting Rs 10,000 and Rs 6000 (helpers) per month. In view of rising prices of every commodity, the helpless workers of this category are facing lot of problems. The State Government never bothered to enhance their wages for the last 10 years, they added.
While addressing large gathering Gafoor Dar criticized the Government for its anti-worker policies. He said when the Government is claiming to regularize over 60,000 workers, this class of ICDS has been ignored. They are working on meager wages. He demanded that all those workers who have completed 10 years in service be regularized, their wages be enhanced, honorarium of the workers pending for the last 8 months be released, final seniority list of Anganwadi workers be fixed and conduct DPC without any delay, implement new pension schemes in favour of workers and helpers, keep provision of gratuity at the time of retirement at the age of 65, implementation of Free Group Insurance Scheme, release of money for mobile charges and MPR on line expenses including two pairs of uniforms, stop harassment of workers and helpers and cancellation of illegal and unfair promotion orders Anganwadi workers as supervisors.
The other Anganwadi Workers Union leaders who spoke on the occasion included-Rattna Devi, Vijay Kumari, Monika Mehta, Asha Kumari, Mehjbeen, Lalita devi, Raj Kumari and Shamim Akhtar.
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