Anganwadi workers and helpers from the state will stage a three-day protest outside Parliament in New Delhi from December 1 to 3 ahead of the winter session, demanding regularisation of their services, better wages and social security benefits.
Reportedly, the protest will highlight the long-pending demands of workers who offer nutrition and services to children, pregnant women and lactating mothers under the Central Government's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
At a convention organised by the Anganwadi Employees Union Punjab (CITU) in Jalandhar, union leaders stated workers had been serving under the ICDS programme for decades but are still not recognised as administration employees.
They provide supplementary nutrition, pre-school education and basic health-related services to children below six years, besides supporting pregnant and breast-feeding women but still continue to work without adequate wages and social security benefits.
Addressing the convention, AR Sindhu, national president of the All-India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers, said despite the scheme completing 51 years, workers and helpers were still denied regular employment, minimum wages and pension benefits, prompting them to go on protest.
The union is demanding regularisation of workers and helpers together with a minimum monthly wage of Rs 42,000, a pension of Rs 21,000 and gratuity benefits.
The union leaders also flagged the Centre's failure to increase nutritional allowances for children and women. They alleged that digital systems including Poshan Tracker, face recognition system (FRS) and e-KYC are increasing the workload of workers and creating difficulties for beneficiaries in accessing services.
The union also called for withdrawal of the four labour codes and an end to the privatisation of welfare schemes.
