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On the frontline in battle against virus, Ludhiana’s anganwadi workers still awaiting March salary
Most of them are forced to depend on the savings to run their households in these tough times, and say government has not even provided them any insurance cover.
Over 4,835 anganwadi workers in Ludhiana are awaiting salaries for the past two months even as they have been working tirelessly on the frontline in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
They, along with auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), have not just been involved in awareness activities but also in tracing Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who entered the state in March. They had also been delivering cooked food to households with children below the age of six, until March 20 when the women and child development department directed them to provide dry ration to the children’s homes.
Punjab Anganwadi Mulazam Union general secretary Subhash Rani, said, “The workers and helpers received their salary last in February. All of them have been working tirelessly as a frontline Covid warriors, but when it comes to paying them, the government takes no responsibility. The workers and helpers also have to run their households and many of them are using their savings to purchase essential commodities.”
Jasvir Kaur, a worker at Anganwadi centre, said, “My household runs on my salary. But for the last two months, I have been using my savings to buy essential supplies. In these tough times, the government should have released the salary on time. Besides, they should also provide insurance cover for the anganwadi workers as they have been on the frontline in the fight against this deadly virus.”
Amrit Kaur, superintendent at development project office in Ludhiana, said, “The anganwadi workers and helpers will get their salaries in the next two days as the child development project officers have been submitting bills in the district treasury office.”
HEALTH WATCH
As many as 4,000 anganwadi workers in Ludhiana have been screened for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last four days. The screening was conducted at different dispensaries and civil hospitals in the district. On Monday, as many 200 workers and helpers were screened at the Government Dispensary Number 7. Anupriya, child development project officer, Urban 3, said, “We have covered almost all workers and helpers and a report has been sent to the district programme office.”
