BANGALORE: The Government should strengthen the Integrated Child Development Scheme by allocating more funds and initiating steps to regularise the services of anganwadi workers and helpers with a hike in their wages.

The point was made at a seminar on `Integrated Child Development Scheme and the role of the Government,' organised by the All-India Federation of Anganwadi Workers at its fifth all-India convention here on Wednesday.

Karnataka Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh said the anganwadi workers' demands such as a hike in the wages and regularisation of services had drawn the attention of the Central and State Governments and proposals were pending. The State Government required an additional Rs. 7. 5 crores to effect a monthly wage increase of Rs. 100 for each anganwadi worker or helper. But the question of regularising their services should be taken up with the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development. His Government would take up the matter with the Centre, he said.

"Shameful"

Terming child healthcare as the fundamental responsibility of the Government, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Prakash Karat said it was shameful that just 0.9 per cent of the annual budget of the country had been earmarked for the purpose.

Explaining the work and responsibilities of the "agents of social change," Mr. Karat demanded that a minimum of two or three per cent of the country's annual budget be earmarked for child healthcare. The resources needed for universalising the ICDS could be mobilised on the basis of tax collection and the GDP.

Referring to his party's position on issues such as non-performing assets, tax collection and the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, he said they had drawn attention to social sector expansion at the United Progressive Alliance coordination committee meeting. The anganwadi is a vital but neglected area in the sector. The problems of the anganwadis should be addressed from the human point of view and with political will, he said.

"Increase wages"

The former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, said the anganwadi workers and helpers' demands were justifiable. All those associated with anganwadis should be treated on a par with primary school teachers and their wages should be increased substantially. He would hold talks with the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister in this regard.

Recalling how the State Government regularised the services of 56,000 daily wagers in the Public Works and Irrigation Departments in 1986, Mr. Gowda said that over 1.5 lakh daily wage cleaners in the Railways were absorbed during his tenure as Prime Minister. He claimed that he never consulted the Congress on such matters but consulted only his "Leftist friends."

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, State Minister for Women and Child Welfare Bhageerathi Marulasiddanagouda and Delhi-based economist Jayati Ghosh emphasised the need to address the problems being faced by anganwadi workers.

The Federation president, Neelima Moitra, presided over the seminar.

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