The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Anganwadi workers stage dharna

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Friday, Dec 05, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Anganwadi workers stage dharna

Staff Reporter

‘Government planning to hand over anganwadis to panchayats’

Amendment of GO 41 and 42 demanded
No announcement on wage hike: workers

Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

On the warpath: Anganwadi teachers and workers being arrested by police when they tried to barge into the Collectorate as part of their agitation in the city on Thursday. —

VISAKHAPATNAM: Hundreds of Anganwadi teachers and workers, owing allegiance to the AP Angwadi Workers and Helpers Union (CITU), picketed the Collectorate on Thursday demanding amendment of GO numbers 41 and 42 issued by the State Government.

Addressing the gathering, district general secretary of the union G. Kumari said that if the GOs were implemented it would result in political interference on Anganwadis. She said that though the Government was planning to handover Anganwadis to the Panchayats, it had not made any arrangement to fund the former.

This was resulting in a feeling of insecurity among the staff.

Honorary president of the union M. Dhanalakshmi demanded immediate amendment of the two GOs.

She said it was unfortunate that the Government, which had increased the working hours of Anganwadi staff by two-and-a-half hours, had made no announcement on the corresponding wage hike.

She said that the direction that Anganwadi staff should obtain the approval of the Sarpanch and the ward members for taking leave would result in harassment of the staff. She recalled that the State Government had announced in the past that handing over of the Anganwadis to Panchayats had watered down the concept in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The Anganwadi staff in those States were not paid their wages for the past few years.

CITU district general secretary S. Ramesh also spoke.

The agitators who tried to barge into the Collectorate were arrested and taken to the Two Town Police Station. CITU district leaders A. Ajay Sarma, Y. Raju and Ganisetty Satyanarayana addressed the workers at a meeting organised at the police station.

In Vizianagaram A.P. Angawadi Workers and Helpers Association, district committee, picketed Collector’s Office on Thursday in protest against the government’s order increasing working hours. As a result work at the Collector’s office was paralysed for a few hours.

Association general secretary M. Uma Maheswari said the government had issued GO No.42 without conceding their demand for additional wages for additional hours of work.

She said the government was considering privatisation of ICDS projects.

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