Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Anganwadi workers seek retirement benefits

GULBARGA: The State-level conference of the Karnataka State Samyukta Anganwadi Workers Sangha on Sunday urged the Union Government to concede the long-pending demand of anganwadi workers to extend all the benefits enjoyed by government employees to them.

In a resolution passed in the conference held at the Kannada Sahitya Parishat Bhavan in Gulbarga city, the sangha said that it was unfortunate that the Union Government had remained silent on the issue.

The conference, in another resolution, noted that both the Union and State governments had failed in strengthening the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme despite directions issued in this regard by the Supreme Court.

The conference said that anganwadi workers who had served for more than three decades under the scheme and retired from service were leading a pathetic life without any assured support since they were not given any retirement benefits. The sangha demanded extension of benefits such as provident fund and ESI and a retirement package for anganwadi workers.

The conference also opposed the decision of the Government to privatise the management of anganwadis and demanded status quo on the issue.

Other demands which were stressed in the conference included increasing the honorarium of anganwadi workers.

They also demanded that anganwadi workers should be extended maternity allowance and leave like government employees.

The conference was inaugurated by the State unit secretary of the United Trade Union Centre-Lenin Sarani K. Somasekhar.

Earlier, anganwadi workers from different parts of the State took out a procession in the city.

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