1,20,000 AP Anganwadi workers lock centres demanding wage hike; protest enters ninth day

Amaravati: The statewide strike by 1,20,000 Anganwadi workers and helpers in Andhra Pradesh entered its ninth day as they continue their demand for a hike in wages, as promised to them by chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. As part of the strike, around 60,000 Anganwadi centres across the state have stopped work.

According to the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union, an Anganwadi worker gets Rs 11,500 and a helper gets Rs 7,000. During his padayatra before coming to power, CM Jagan promised a Rs 1,000 hike in salaries for Anganwadi workers and helpers. However, nothing has been done so far.

What are their demands?

1. Their main demand is an increase in salary for workers and helpers.

2. Follow the Supreme Court’s orders to provide compulsory gratuity for workers.

3. Merge all mobile apps of Anganwadi workers.

4. Upgrade mini Anganwadi centres to main centres.

5. Provide pensions and other retirement benefits.

6. Clear all pending bills.

“We have called them for discussions many times but they did not respond. Every time we take up protests, they begin arresting us. The government has increased the retirement age of Anganwadi workers to 65 years. How can we work till 65, while we are getting sick at 45?” questioned an Anganwadi worker protesting from Vijayawada.

“Anganwadi centres are not just for babysitting and feeding kids. There is a lot more work we do in addition to our jobs. For example, when we travel to attend government meetings, we are supposed to be paid a travelling allowance (TA). But we haven’t been given the bills since 2008. We will not stop protesting until our demands are solved,” said an Anganwadi worker protesting from Visakhapatnam.

Support from three unions

Leaders of the unions affiliated with IFTU, CITU and the AITUC came in support of the Anganwadi workers.

CPI (Maoist) Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee said that Anganwadi workers should continue their protest until the government addresses their demands. “YSRCP had promised to create 2.65 lakh jobs and increase salaries of Anganwadi workers. But, after coming to power, the party forgot all the poll promises,” said CPI in a release.

Breaking locks

While schemes such as YSR Sampoorna Poshana, YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus and Take Home Ration (THR), aimed at supplying nutritious diets to children and pregnant women, were affected due to the strike, the secretariat staff opened the pre-schools by breaking the locks. However, the parents have refused to send their kids to the Anganwadi centres.