J&K a poor state, no plans to hike salary of Anganwari employees, Govt

By Faisal Shabir

Srinagar: The state government has no plans to increase the wages of the Anganwadi employees who are protesting over low wages and demanding regularisation of their services.

Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Minister of Social Welfare Sajjad Gani Lone Ifthikar Kakroo told INS that ‘these aganwadi workers are engaged under the centrally funded ICDS scheme to provide supplementary nutrition to children and all the funds including the salary of these workers comes from the central government.’

“90% of the funds for the scheme come from the centre and the state government only contributes 10% of the funding for the scheme. There are over 30,000 aganwari centres throughout the state and each centre has one aganwadi worker and one aganwadi helper who are paid a monthly honorarium of Rs 3600 and 1800 respectively and J&K being a poor state cannot afford hike in their salaries,” Kakroo said.

He said that the concerned Minister had approved a hike of Rs 500 in the wages of these workers and the proposal has been sent for the state finance department for further consideration.

“In some states of India aganwadi workers are paid monthly wages of

Rs 10,000 a month but our state cannot afford it as we are dependent on Central government for all our financial requirements. The seniority list of these workers is almost completed by the Social Welfare department, so that they get promoted, but there are objections to the list by some of the workers which is delaying its issuance,” he added.

The aganwari workers are on a hunger strike from the past five days demanding that their monthly honorarium be increased to Rs 10,000 a month and that of helpers to Rs 8000. They are also demanding regularization of their services.

Meanwhile President of the Aganwadi workers association Tasleema Subhan  claimed that police foiled their press conference which was today scheduled to be held at Directorate of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department.

“Police followed us to three locations today and didn’t allow us to conduct the press conference.Don’t we have freedom to address the media and convey our grievances,” Tasleema said.

She said that their protest will continue till all their demands are met by the state government.