Baramulla: Anganwadi workers and helpers on Wednesday staged a protest in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town on Wednesday against the recent decision of the State Administrative Council (SAC) to disburse their honorariums through Gram Panchayats
The workers and helpers working under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme from different parts of Baramulla district assembled at Kripa Park staged protest demanding immediate roll back of the SAC decision and later took a protest march towards DC office Baramulla.
The protesters under the banner of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association J&K (Tangmarg) raised slogans against SAC decision and Panchayat rule being enforced on them.
“In the era of injustice, justice is our slogan, Sarpanch order manzoor nahi manzoor nahi ( We say no Sarpanch order” the slogans were raised during the protest.
State President Anganwadi workers, Tanseema Subhan, said that disbursing honorarium through Gram Panchayats can pave way for corruption and harassment of these workers and helpers.
District President Afshana said that they are demanding rollback of this “arbitrary decision” and also demanding for making ICDS employees permanent and increase its budgetary allocation.
The Government must also pay minimum wages, social security and pension to all workers and helpers, she demanded.
She further added that supervision of Anganwadi Centres is done by ICDS department and they don’t object the coordination with Panchayati Raj Institutions in running the Anganwadi Centres if Panchayats provide resources to the Anganwadi Centres like additional food, milk, eggs, toys and uniforms for children.
“If Panchayats have to monitor government services then why don’t they monitor all the services and link the salary of all other government employees to Panchayat also,” she asked
