Do not privatise anganwadis, workers urge government

 CITU State unit Secretary Yamuna Gaonkar opposed the move of the central government to privatise anganwadis in 11 states in the country and added that the anganwadis should not be handed over to the private sector.

Speaking after inaugurating the first district meet of the anganwadi workers association at Don Bosco Hall in Mangaluru on Monday, she said that the central government had handed over the anganwadis in 11 states to Vedant Company, through an MoU. The move of the central government is condemnable as the government has taken the decision in spite of the opposition by the anganwadi associations against the privatisation.

Also, the central government has reduced the honorarium to Rs 49 from Rs 100. The supply of nutritional supplements has been stopped in 12 states, she said and added there was a need to oppose the move of the central government.

Yamuna further said that CITU had been initiating movements for a long time to press for the permanent status of the anganwadis, but the government was turning a blind eye to the demand. However, the fight will continue, she said.

She urged that the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) should be made an independent department to empower it.

Today, anganwadi workers are finding it difficult to lead their lives as the costs of daily commodities, especially those of cereals, grams and staple food have risen. The government has failed to provide a life of dignity to the anganwadi workers, she said and questioned where were the ‘acche din’ for them.

Yamuna criticised Union Women and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi and said that the minister had not utilised even one per cent of the funds towards the development of women and children in her constituency but was spent on animal welfare by her.

Earlier, the anganwadi workers took out a protest rally from Deputy Commissioner’s office to the venue of the meet.
DH News Service