Tirupati: Anganwadi workers demand recognition as govt employees

Tirupati: The Anganwadi Association and CITU leaders have warned the Central and State governments for showing negligence in solving the Anganwadi workers problems. Anganwadi workers, helpers and mini workers in large numbers from 34 mandals in the district staged a 36-hour dharna in support of their demands at the Collectorate here on Monday.

The workers raised slogans and displayed CITU flags. Addressing them, CITU district general secretary Kandarapu Murali demanded recognition of Anganwadis as government employees and demanded gratuity as per the Supreme Court verdict.

He reminded that the Modi government was showing negligence towards Anganwadi workers. The wages of Anganwadis have not increased during the last 12 years and the prices of essential commodities have increased steeply during this period.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has ignored his assurances given to Anganwadi workers during padayatra and not even paying attention to their problems now. Reminding that in the past governments have collapsed due to Anganwadi movements, he warned that Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government was also having that kind of threat.

AP Anganwadi Workers and Helpers union district general secretary S Vanisri and president Padmaleela said that a nationwide agitation on July 10 and 11 was called for in support of the Anganwadi workers.

The demands include protection of ICDS, job security of Anganwadis, minimum wage, pension, PF, and ESI. They reminded that the announcement to increase Rs 1,500 for Anganwadi workers, Rs 750 for helpers and Rs 1,250 for mini workers in 2018 has not been implemented till date. Further, the Central government has reduced the budget for ICDS this year and was treating Anganwadis with discrimination.

CITU district president G Balasubramaniam, treasurer KNN Prasada Rao, working women convenor R Lakshmi, TTD union leaders T Subrahmanyam, Parthasarathy along with DYFI district secretary S Jayachandra, Aidwa president and secretary Jayanthi and Sai Lakshmi, SFI district secretary Madhav and others participated.