The seventh district-level conference of the Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers Association, affiliated to the Centre for Indian Trade Union (CITU), will be held in Sedam town in Kalaburagi district on December 26 and 27.
Shanta Ghanti, State secretary of the association, and Gauramma Patil, CITU district president, addressing presspersons here on Saturday said that the conference will be inaugurated by State president of the Anganwadi Workers Association, S.Varalakshmi. President of the Gram Panchayat Naukarara Sangh, Maruti Manpade, and CITU district secretary, M.B. Sajjan, will be the chief guests.
Ms Ghanti said that the conference will discuss issues such as reduction of grants to the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) by more than 50 per cent and the moves to privatise ICDS by the Union government.
The Centre has lowered the budget allocation for ICDS schemes by Rs. 9,637 crore against the Rs. 18,391 crore that had been allocated in the 2014-15 budget.
Ms. Patil accused the Union government for trying to dilute the one of the oldest programmes to improve nutrition in children and pregnant women.
More than 14 lakh anganwadi workers were working with mere honorarium from last four decades and around 8 crore beneficiaries were covered under the scheme every year.
