Workers protest orders to grow vegetables at anganwaris

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 3

The Anganwari Workers’ Union today staged a protest against the state and central governments over being directed to plant seeds to grow vegetables in anganwari centres. They are being provided with seeds of vegetables and other items by the government under the Poshan Abhiyan scheme to make ‘poshan vatikas’ at their respective centres.

Carrying packets of seeds in their hands, union members raised slogans and later submitted a memorandum of demands to the Bathinda Deputy Commissioner.

“Rather than fulfiling our long-pending demands, the government is trying to deviate our attention by engaging in works not meant for us. The government has sent seed kits to anganwari centres, asking workers and helpers to prepare ‘poshan vatikas’. A majority of the centres are running from shared premises and barely have enough space to grow vegetables or make ‘poshan vatikas’ there. Moreover, there will be no one to guard these vatikas once plants will be grown,” Pratibha Sharma, a representative of the union, said. Union members in the memorandum requested that they be not coerced to make vatikas.

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