Members of the Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers Association affiliated to the All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kalaburagi on Thursday demanding higher budgetary allocation in the upcoming Budget and an increase in the honorarium of anganwadi workers and helpers.
District convener of AIUTUC V.G. Desai said that the services of anganwadi workers are being utilised for the implementation of various schemes and programmes. He urged the Government to treat anganwadi workers as Group D and C employees and fix a pay scale accordingly.
Mr. Desai urged the Government to regularise the services of anganwadi workers and helpers and revise their honorarium to ₹25,000 and ₹21,000, respectively. At present, they are getting less than ₹10,000 a month, he added.
The agitators also demanded that the Government increase the gratuity amount of anganwadi workers from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh and that of helpers from ₹30,000 to ₹50,000.
The Government should extend social security benefits and increase the rent allowance, dearness allowance for all anganwadi workers and helpers.