Anganwadi workers seek retirement benefits
Bathinda, April 8
Members of the All Punjab Anganwadi Workers’ Union on Monday submitted a memorandum of demands to the Deputy Director, Department of Social Security and Development of Women and Children. The union members were demanding retirement benefits for the workers and helpers who are given retirement at the age of 70.
They said the directions by the Department of Social Security and Development of Women and Children to release ex gratia amount to the anganwadi workers and helpers who would retire at the age of 70 were not being obeyed.
Hargobind Kaur, president of the union, said, “The government had decided to provide an ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh for anganwadi workers and Rs 50,000 for helpers retiring at the age of 70, but it has not provided the same. The demand for regularization of jobs has been lying pending for decades and there are no retirement benefits for anganwadi workers. The government promised ex gratia amount that also was also not provided.”
She said, “Providing no retirement benefits is sheer injustice to the anganwadi workers who have rendered their services for years. If the government does not provide us retirement benefits then we would be forced to intensify our stir in the coming weeks. The Central Government had increased honorarium of angandwadi workers and helpers by Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,000 last year but the state government has failed to provide that as well.”
Deputy Director Lily Chaudhary assured the anganwadi workers that budget had been sent by the government and in two weeks it would reach the district offices and anganwadi helpers and workers would be given ex gratia amount soon. She said pending salaries would be cleared soon. — TNS
