Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has assured Anganwadi workers and helpers of improving their living standards and making them partners in the development programmes implemented at village level.
In an interaction with Anganwadi workers, helpers and supervisors assembled from districts here on Saturday, the Chief Minister said the government was committed to transform Anganwadi centres in the State as the best in the country. He hailed the role of Anganwadi workers and helpers in taking care of a child in the womb, infancy and pre-schooling stages.
The Chief Minister gave a patient hearing to their problems for over three hours and invited suggestions from them on different aspects of the functioning of Anganwadi centres. Management of Anganwadi centres, honorarium to workers and helpers and implementation of ‘Arogya Laxmi’ and ‘Kalyana Laxmi’ schemes were also discussed at the meeting.
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Assuring that their wages would be increased, the Chief Minister said increased wages would be paid from March itself. He announced that supervisor posts would be filled with Anganwadi workers and based on their experience and academic qualifications, they would be given priority in filling other posts too.
Mr. Rao said Anganwadi workers would have rich experience in handling children in their pre-school stage and thus they could play an important role in the implementation of the proposed KG to PG education scheme. Admitting that the Anganwadi staff were not getting their wages every month, the Chief Minister assured to take steps to ensure payment of wages every month.
Further, he said the government would issue orders soon directing the gram panchayats and municipalities to compulsorily supply water to the Anganwadi centres.
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He also announced provision of life insurance cover, food security cards and Aasara pensions to Anganwadi staff, based on their eligibility.