Jammu 15 December: Anganwadi workers welfare Association affiliated with Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh held a press conference in Jammu and decided to hold a demonstration in the support of long pending demands of Anganwadi workers and helpers. The Association alleged that the wages of Anganwadi workers and helpers has not been paid for the last four months. The arrears for the month of October 2018 to Dec 2018 is laying pending salary from January 2019 to March 2019 is also laying pending and carriage charges have not been paid for the year 2020 to till date despite repeated requests and due to this poor and low paid workers are facing financial crises.
Further mentioned that Jammu Kashmir is the only state in the country that is paying Rs.600 state share per month but JK U.T. government has not enhanced state share since the year 2010 onward whereas in Haryana state Anganwadi Workers are being paid Rs.4500 centre share and Rs 7500 state share total 12000/- Delhi is being paid centre share Rs 4500 and state share Rs 5500/- total 10000 Punjab is being paid Rs 4500 Centre share and state share Rs 4000/- total 8500/- per month.
The Association demanded to revise state share at par Haryana, Delhi, Punjab States Anganwadi workers are working as corona warriors and conducting house to house survey and number of other duties are being performed by Anganwadi workers and helpers. It is demanded that extra incentive allowances be paid for performing the different numbers of works. Retirement benefits social security scheme gratuity, Leave salary etc. be given to the worker and helpers in the state those who attain superannuation age. The Association has appealed to all Anganwadi workers and helpers to participate in the demonstration being held on 23rd December Dogra chowk Press club Jammu.
The press conference was addressed by the association president Swarna Choudhary and general secretary Roshu Sharma has also appealed to Hon’able LG Shri Manoj Sinha to kindly intervene and take effective action about all these genuine demands.