Maharashtra: Anganwadi workers stage protest in Latur

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Anganwadi workers and helpers on Monday staged a protest in Latur district of Maharashtra, the officials said, reported the PTI.

According to the news agency, the Anganwadi workers organised a sit-in agitation in Latur city of Maharashtra alleging the state government has failed to keep its word on resolving their demands.

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Organisers claimed the government has not taken any concrete steps which it had assured in a meeting held in Mumbai earlier this month, as per the PTI.

Anganwadi workers have been demanding a monthly honorarium of Rs 26,000 and Rs 20,000 for helpers besides gratuity payments among other demands.

The protest was held outside Latur Zilla Parishad on Monday.

Meanwhile, after a two-day protest at Azad Maidan, thousands of Anganwadi workers and helpers, who had travelled to Mumbai from distant villages and towns in Maharashtra, are now returning, having secured only verbal assurances from state ministers. Additionally, the workers are receiving threats of losing their jobs if they do not return to work.

Since early December, Anganwadis across the state are closed as part of a strike by two lakh Anganwadi workers, impacting the health and nutrition of lakhs of children who depend on them. Even as their Azad Maidan protest has ended for the time being, the strike across the state will continue indefinitely until there are written assurances from the government.

The workers are demanding a salary of Rs 26,000, up from Rs 10,000 honorarium and Rs 20,000, increased from the current Rs 5,500, for the helpers. "A lot of us spent about Rs 2,500 in two days in Mumbai; this includes our travel expenses and had to come back home with nothing as of now. But we are hopeful that this protest will pay off in the near future; the government will not give us what we want unless we hold such strikes and protests," said Pooja Patil, an Anganwadi worker who went back to Gadap village in Pen taluka under Raigad district.

Shubha Shamim, president of CITU-affiliated Anganwadi Karmachari Sanghatana and convener of Maharashtra Anganwadi Kruti Samiti, said talks were held with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, and with officials from the Women and Child Development department where the unions were denied any raise in honorarium as there was an increase of Rs 1,000 earlier in 2023.

(with PTI inputs)