Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 14: Thousands of Anganwadi workers and helpers working under the Social Welfare Department’s Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in Jammu and Kashmir are without wages for the last more than eight months and there is also liability of some months of year 2019 which is unfortunate.
In a letter to Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, the CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami highlighted the issues confronting Anganwadi workers/helpers and supervisors and urged him to fulfill their genuine demands without any further delay.
The letter read that these employees have been working tirelessly as most of the Government schemes are implemented through them. Even during the ongoing fight against COVID-19 pandemic, they have been on the forefront.
But, unfortunately over the years they have been treated with utter contempt by the Government. In 2018, the Government had announced to enhance the honorarium of the workers and helpers by Rs 500 per month. However, more than two years down the line, the promise is yet to be fulfilled.
Another category which is Helpers to Supervisors and whose number is 852 are without wages for the last three years. The Central share for their wages for the year 2019 has been released but the UT share is yet to be released.
The administrative apathy towards their genuine issues is against justice and fair play. They are being denied social security benefits including promotion, gratuity, pension, provident fund, medical facilities, etc.
He said more than 1500 ICDS supervisors are without salaries for the last eight months, resulting in immense hardships for them. These employees have to feed their families, but despite working hard, they are not paid their wages and salaries in time.
Tarigami in his letter to the LG said “We hope not only the wages and salaries of these employees are released immediately, but their other genuine demands are also fulfilled at the earliest”.
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