Anganwadi workers want hike in salary, burn FM’s effigy

Tribune News Service

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Ludhiana, March 26

Baffled over the Punjab Budget 2018, anganwadi workers staged a protest against the Congress government by burning an effigy Finance Minister Manpreet Badal at the Gill Chowk here on Monday.

Subhash Rani, leader of the Anganwadi Workers’ Union, said: “We have shown our resentment by tearing off the budget copy and burning effigy of the Finance Minister. The budget does talk about the grants to be given to the Integrated Child Development Scheme, but no increments have been announced for the anganwadi workers and helpers.”

“The anganwadi workers and helpers in Punjab are currently drawing a salary of Rs 5,600 and Rs 2,700, respectively. Recently, the Haryana Government increased the salaries of the anganwadi workers and helpers to Rs 11,429 and Rs 5,179, respectively. We want the Punjab Government to follow in the footsteps.”

She said the commencement of the pre-primary classes in the government schools had jolted the anganwadi workers as they feared the closure of anganwadi centres.

“We want children below six years of age to come to the anganwadi centres than going to government schools,” she added.