Anganwari workers protest face recognition system

Scores of anganwari workers and helpers staged a protest march in the city to raise their voice against the mandatory face recognition system (FRS) and the non-payment of Central Government honorarium for the past six months. The protest was also aimed at highlighting several other long-pending demands of the workers.

They also handed over a memorandum for the Union Minister for Women and Child Development to the District Programme Officer of the department.

Earlier, workers and helpers gathered at Fountain Park led by district president of Anganwari Workers and Helpers’ Association, Rupa Rana, secretary Bijnesh Rana and others.

“We demand immediate withdrawal of the mandatory FRS, which has become a tool of harassment for anganwari workers,” said Rupa Rana. “This system is being used to deny basic services and honorarium payments, which is unacceptable,” she added.

She said as per the new directives, data of beneficiaries, including children aged six months to three years and pregnant women, must be updated through the nutrition tracker app using FRS on workers’ mobile phones. Those not registered in the FRS would be denied take home ration (THR) starting July 1, 2025, which, workers argue, was a clear violation of the Food Security Act.

“The new policy effectively excludes beneficiaries who cannot be registered in the FRS from receiving essential nutrition support. This is against the Supreme Court’s directions and the spirit of welfare schemes,” said Bijnesh Rana, union secretary.

They demanded immediate rollback of FRS, provision of computers/laptops/tablets in all centres before any digital reporting mandate is implemented, distribution of high-quality smartphones and free Wi-Fi or sufficient data allowance to all anganwari centres.