Manzoor Makhdoomi
SRINAGAR, May 19: Warning that they would lock all the Anganwadi centers in the Valley if their demands were not met immediately, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association (AWHA), Kashmir Province, today protested at Press Enclave, here.
They were demanding enhancement and release of pending salaries.
The protesters said their salaries don’t commensurate with their work hours. “We have to work for longer hours but in return we get peanuts. An Anganwadi worker gets salary of Rs 3600 while helpers paid Rs 1840,” they rued.
Mymona Nazki, President AWHA told reporters that in addition to their routine work Government usually asks them to carry huge survey works which is often time consuming. “But in return we are paid almost nothing. With this salary we can’t feed our families properly,” she said.
Protestors also demanded pension benefits and dearness allowance to all Anganwadi employees and ex-gratia relief to diseased ones besides monthly salary of Rs 10,000 to Anganwadi workers and Rs 5000 for helpers.
Those employees who have to commute to Anganwadi centres for meetings should be provided Travel Allowance, they demanded.
“Salaries of Anganwadi employees are pending since last Parliament elections and we demand its immediate release. If our all demands aren’t met immediately we will lock the centers,” they warned.
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