The Mandya district unit of State Anganwadi Workers Association, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), took out a massive protest rally here on Friday against the slashing of funds for the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).
Hundreds of anganwadi workers from different parts of the district marched from the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway to the Deputy Commissioner’s office where they staged a demonstration. According to the protestors, the Centre, on the pretext of restructuring the ICDS programme, has slashed the funds and also attempting to privatise the programme.
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The agitators demanded social security benefits such as minimum wage, provident fund, gratuity, job security, and leave facilities. The Centre was also urged to strengthen Akshara Dasoha, National Rural Health Mission, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). They also demanded social security benefits for Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA).
Pushpavathi, Shobha, Champakumari, Sunitha, Prameelakumari, M. Raveendra, Chandrashekar, Manjula, Jayalskhmi, Padma, Parvati, Vasanta and others took part in the protest.