Karnataka - Bangalore   

For them, work is no child's play

T. Leelavathi

Bangalore: The 1.20 lakh anganwadi workers in the State do not just look after toddlers in the anganwadis; they are also deputed to work for various other departments.

Appointed under the Integrated Child Development Scheme, most anganwadi workers are entrusted with many tasks, including a survey of number of toilets in rural areas, ration card survey, animal/ livestock survey, visiting door-to-door during the Pulse Polio programme and other work under the Bhagyalakshmi Scheme.

T. Leelavathi, State vice-president of the Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers' Association, told The Hindu that anganwadi workers, most of who have been working for the past 35 years under the Integrated Child Development Scheme, have for long been fighting for recognition as government employees, minimum wages, pension benefits, among others. Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, on Friday, in the Budget 2010-11, announced pension benefits. However, Ms. Leelavathi said that while the anganwadi workers welcome the move, the Chief Minister had not made any mention about the retirement age, nor who would be eligible for pension benefits.

“Many anganwadi workers are on the verge of retirement. Having put in so many years of service, it is only just that these workers get pension benefits,” she said.

“Even in the Budget, Mr. Yeddyurappa announced pension benefits for 50,000 anganwadi workers, while there are over 1.20 lakh workers and 3,331 mini-anganwadi workers in the State,” she said. She said that in Bangalore Rural, Bangalore Urban and Ramanagara districts, there were around 5,000 anganwadis with over 10,000 workers and helpers.

“Anganwadi workers put in more than eight hours of work everyday. They are, therefore, eligible for minimum wages. The Government must have conceded this long-pending demand,” she added.

In Bangalore Urban, around 130 anganwadi centres are being managed by Sumangali Seva Ashram.

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