State President of Karnataka Rajya Anganawadi Naukarara Sanga, S. Varalakshmi said that they will stage indefinite strike by closing the Anganavadi centres from February 2 opposing privatisation of Integrated Child Development Services and demanding a minimum of Rs.10,000 as wages per month.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Ms. Varalakshmi said that ICDS was started in 1975 and for the past 40 years they are working to eradicate malnutrition in children, provide pre-school education, to educate adolescent girls and pregnant women about anaemia and given them iron tablets. They also provide them education about their health and nutritional food.
She said more than 1 lakh Anganawadi workers and helpers are working in the state. She alleged that in Tumakuru , Mysuru, Bidar and Belagavi districts the State government is trying to give the ICDS to NGO’s which has to be stopped as the people working in ICDS will lose their jobs.
She demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah give Rs. 10,000 as minimum wages to the Anganawadi workers and to allocate Rs. 494 cr in the upcoming budget.
She said there are 61,000 Anganawadi centres in the state out of which 50 percent of centres do not have their own building and are run in temples and in the houses of Anganawadi workers.
She demanded to stop privatization of ICDS, minimum wages Rs. 10,000 for Anaganawadi workers and to provide job secuirty.
Leaders of the Sanga, G.Kamala, Gulzar Banu, S.D.Paravathamma and others were present.
