Kundapur; Jan 11 : Kundapur taluk Anganwadi workers and helpers staged a protest demanding fulfillment of their various demands, opposing the privatization of ‘mission mode’ of state and central government, a newly formed project of earlier national women and children’s welfare programme and supporting the ‘Jail Bharo agitation’in front of Kundapur tahsildar’s office and submitted a memorandum. The Anganwadi workers and helpers, who assembled near Kundapur Shastri circle by forming a human chain, demanded the government to fulfill their demands.
By organizing protest procession, submitted their memorandum in tahsildar’s office. During occasion, Philomena Fernandez, president of Anganwadi workers and helpers union, while speaking said that as per the government order we are committed, ready to work for 6 hours but our honorarium money what we are getting now is very lesser than the honorarium money of cooly,who have been appointed under employment guarantee programme.Therefore we are finding it difficult to manage our livelihood under the present condition due to increase in prices of all the daily essential commodities. In Karnataka too honorarium money should be paid similar to Goa government. Government should make a review of the situation to give salary like in neighboring Tamil Nadu state, she said.
The protestors further demanded to make Anganawadi employees permanent, consider Anganwadi employee as government’s C/D group employees, to increase allowances on the basis of seniority, to increase pension, complete responsibility of Anganwadi centres, government should take from ICDS department and to implement a programme immediately to issue BPL cards to Angnwadi workers and helpers and among other demands.
On the occasion Nagaratna Hawaldar Kundapur, secretary of Anganwadi worker’s and helpers union, treasurer Shobha Koteshwara,honorary president M.P.Saroja Shanbhaug, vice president Gulabi Goliyangady,Savita.G.Basrur,organizing secretary, joint secretary Padmavathi Shetty,all regional committee members, members were present in the protest.
