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Ludhiana: Upset Anganwadi staffers protest over state budget
During the protest, union leaders criticised the state government, saying that although it came to power with promises of a pro-people government, the newly presented budget does not reflect those promises
The Anganwadi Workers Union Punjab (CITU) opposed the state government’s budget, claiming that it ignored the rights and demands of Anganwadi workers and helpers. In a protest, union members burned copies of the budget across different blocks in the district, expressing their disappointment and anger towards the government’s policies.
During the protest, union leaders criticised the state government, saying that although it came to power with promises of a pro-people government, the newly presented budget does not reflect those promises. They reminded the government that before the elections, AAP had assured Anganwadi workers and helpers that their honorarium would be doubled. However, instead of increasing their wages, Punjab’s minister of social security, women and child development, Baljit Kaur, proposed reducing their working hours in the Assembly, which the union strongly condemned.
The protesting workers argued that their responsibilities are not limited to a few hours of duty. From early morning until night, they are required to submit various reports related to social security, child development, and women’s safety. Given this workload, they questioned how their working hours could be reduced while their duties remained unchanged. In response, they declared that from now on, they would work only for four hours a day.
Union leaders also pointed out that despite Supreme Court orders to provide minimum wages to Anganwadi workers and helpers, the government has ignored these directives. They highlighted that even after serving for nearly 50 years, these workers are still struggling with low honorariums instead of receiving proper salaries.
The protesters emphasised that Anganwadi workers play multiple crucial roles in society, including being responsible for early childhood care, health monitoring, teaching, coordinating government schemes, and ensuring social welfare in villages. The union stated that calling their work a “four-hour job” is an insult to their dedication and hard work. The protest, marked by the burning of budget copies, was just the beginning, said the workers.
