Bhubaneswar: As many as 60,000 Anganwadi centres across Odisha are closed down due to undefinite agitation of Anganwadi workers here demanding status of government employees and a hike in remuneration.
The Anganwadi workers from different parts of the state staged a demonstration in Bhubaneswar on Monday and launched a dharna near the state Assembly building ahead of the winter session of the Assembly.
They demanded a tag of government employees and monthly remuneration of Rs 18,000 and Rs 9,000 for their assistants.
Besides, our demand of Rs 5,000 pension must be fulfilled. If our demands are not met, our strike won’t end, said Sumitra Mohapatra, president of All Odisha Anganwadi Lady Workers.
Their demand also includes a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of an Anganwadi worker in case of death during the service period.
Claiming that the state government’s flagship programmes like Mamata Yojana and Harischandra Yojana became successful due to Anganwadi workers, they said that their demands have remained unfulfilled.
Anganwadi workers get Rs 7,500 a month despite working round the clock, Mohapatra said.
Woman and Child Development Minister Basanti Hembram said the government was sympathetic towards the Anganwadi workers.
They get remuneration on a sharing basis of both the Centre and the state. Odisha government will take a decision in regard to present demands soon, the minister added.
