A delegation of Anganwadi and mid-day meal workers met CM Sukhu regarding their demands
Hundreds of Anganwadi and mid-day meal workers belonging to CITU staged a strong demonstration at the State Government Secretariat Chhota Shimla regarding their demands. The public meeting was attended by CITU National Secretary Dr. Kashmir Thakur, State President Vijendra Mehra, General Secretary Prem Gautam, Vice President Jagat Ram, Bhupinder Singh, Anganwadi Union President Neelam Jaswal, General Secretary Veena Sharma, Mid Day Meal Union President Inder Singh, General Secretaries Himi Devi, Khimi Bhandari, Balbindra. Kaur, Sudesh, Kaushalya Preeti, Ajay Dulta, Rajkumari etc. addressed.
A delegation of Anganwadi and mid-day meal workers met the Chief Minister and submitted a demand letter to him. The delegation also met Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Shri Dhani Ram Shandil. He called for the complete withdrawal of the decision of the age limit of 35 years for the promotion of Anganwadi helpers, 100 percent appointment of Anganwadi workers in pre-primary, abolishing the condition of 45 years in this appointment, filling the vacant posts of supervisors, the decision of the Honorable Supreme Court. As per the order, to implement a gratuity facility on the lines of Karnataka and Gujarat, to give salary and seniority benefits on the lines of Haryana, to give other leaves including medical on the lines of Punjab, to increase the retirement age to 65 years, to upgrade mini Anganwadi centers and give them the status of full Anganwadi centers. Assured to fulfill the demands of providing the facility of mobile recharge and stationery, banning salary deduction during medical or illness, removing the problems of nutrition tracker app and giving new mobiles, etc.
Speakers said that mid-day meal workers have not been paid salaries for the last two months. He has demanded that this payment should be made immediately. He demanded a salary of seven thousand rupees on the lines of Haryana. As per the decision of the Honorable Himachal High Court and on the lines of the Punjab Government, salary should be given for 12 months instead of 10. The facility of 12 to 20 holidays should be provided on the lines of the Day Meal of the Punjab Government and Anganwadi in Himachal. They should be given two uniforms in a year. Mid-day meal workers should be given priority in multi-task recruitment. They should be given extra pay for extra work. Like other staff in closed schools, mid-day meal workers should also be accommodated in other schools. The job-related condition of 25 children should be removed for them. They should not be made to cook food for the polling party during elections. Two mid-day meal workers should be compulsorily appointed in every school. As per the recommendation of the 45th Indian Labor Conference, mid-day meal workers should be given the status of laborers and they should be regularized.
Speakers said that the Modi government wants to hand over Anganwadi and mid-day meal schemes to corporate companies. This is the reason why the budget of these schemes is being continuously cut. The Modi government has hatched a well-planned conspiracy by changing the name of the Mid Day Meal Scheme to Pradhan Mantri Poshan Yojana and ending it. Due to the neo-liberal policies of the Modi government, privatization of these schemes is certain. Thousands of Anganwadi centers in the country have been handed over to Vedanta Company.
