* Remuneration of even 2017-18 still pending
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, June 30: Over 650 Anganwadi workers and helpers of ICDS Budhal and Kandi projects are without wages/remuneration for the last over seven months while wages of many of them are unpaid for some months of 2017, 2018 and even 2019 as well.
Facing starvation for the last many months now, even the J&K UT Administration has turned blind eye towards their plight. They are moving from pillar to the post for the release of their hard earned wages but no body listens to them. They are being made to perform all the duties even during COVID-19 including surveys and awareness etc but are not being provided any protective kits including masks, sanitizers etc.
A large number of ICDS workers who had come to the district headquarters, Rajouri to project their issue before the Project Officer (District head) and the Deputy Commissioner, told the Excelsior that for the last six months from January 2020, no wages have been provided to them by the department. Even for the months of December, January, February and March 2019, they were not provided wages by the District ICDS authorities. They further revealed that their two months wages for the year 2017 and 2018 are still pending. The concerned staff claims that they have not received full amount from the Mission Directorate, but during February some employees contacted Directorate at Jammu and Accounts officer showed the record and claimed that except December 2019, all the old wages stand cleared. But the officials at district ICDS office say some thing else.
Now, concerned CDPOs are telling that their wages will be released through concerned Sarpanches. But the Sarpanches when conacted told that they had no money and nobody from SWD have provided them so far. These hapless workers are being kicked by officers and Sarpanches from here to there, but no one comes to their rescue. Many of them are working for the last more than 15 to 20 years but unable to feed their families. They are left to face starvation even during lock down over Corona virus.
They said till today they were never told by officials that which months wages are released and which are pending for the last so many years. This is being deliberately done to confuse them over the wages issue. They are not given money spent for organizing awareness camps or fare while bringing ration/ food stuff from the project offices up to centres.
While Mission Director, ICDS, J&K, Nitu Gupta could not be contacted for response, Project Officer ICDS Rajouri, Khalil Ahmed said wages of a few months of 2019 are pending while this year also, no wages could be released so far due to non release of money by the Government. He said about pending wages of 2017 and 2018 of the workers and helpers in Budhal project, he was not aware but assured to hold inquiry and get the facts. He said as and when the money is released, the pending wages of the workers and helpers will be cleared. He said same is the problem is being faced in various other projects and districts.
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