Without the release of grants from the government to distribute eggs to pregnant women, new mothers, malnourished and other children, anganawadi workers are facing the burden of debt for four months over payment for eggs.
The anganwadi workers have not been paid remuneration for two months and have expressed helplessness in providing eggs to beneficiaries. They are demanding the government to release grants as early as possible.
There are around 65,911 anganwadi centres in the State. Eggs are being provided through anganwadi centres with the aim of providing nutrition to pregnant women, new mothers, and children. Around 6 lakh pregnant women and new mothers and around 40 lakh children are the beneficiaries of the scheme.
Eggs are being given to pregnant women and new mothers six days a week, malnourished children five days a week and normal children two days a week.
According to government rules, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Zilla Panchayat and the Deputy Director of the Department of Women and Child Development should call the tender and issue the work order to supply eggs to anganwadis. However, officials failed to finalise the tender process in more than 80% of the districts for the financial year of 2022-23.
The Department of Women and Child Development is depositing the grant in the joint account of anganawadi workers and Bal Vikas Samithis of anganwadis. Sometimes, it has deposited the money in advance too. However, due to state assembly elections and other reasons, some districts didn’t get the grant since February and some other districts from April.
“We bought eggs on credit from grocery stores. For four months, we didn’t get any grant from the government. The shopkeepers are asking for money. However, there is a problem with the timely receipt of grants from the government. For two months, we didn’t get remuneration. Therefore, we are really helpless in providing eggs for the beneficiaries regularly,” said an anganwadi worker in Mandya.
Anuradha. K.N., Director, the Directorate of Women and Child Development, said, “The Principal Secretary of our department has conducted a review meeting many times in this regard. Due to technical and other problems, the egg tender process was not finalised. Due to the code of conduct for the Assembly election, the fund was not released. Therefore, we will release the first instalment of grants soon.”
However, S. Varalakshmi, president, Karnataka State Anganwadi Employees’ Association, said this is a regular problem. “The officers never plan to release the fund properly. Due to the ending of the 2022-23 financial year and the Assembly election, the government held the grants. Our anganwadi workers are facing a debt burden. We demand that the government should release the grant early.”
