Anganwadi workers oppose privatisation

Members of the Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers’ and Assistants’ Association (CITU) on Tuesday staged an indefinite strike against the Vedanta Foundation, a mining major, taking over the running of anganwadi centres in the taluk.

Slogans

The members raised slogans against Union Minister for Petroleum M Veerappa Moily, from the Chikkaballapur Lok Sabha constituency, and Minister for Women and Child Development, in front of the office of the Child Development Planning Officer.

Speaking to the protesters, Ratnamma, Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers’ and Assistants’ Association taluk secretary, said: “We shall not allow privatisation of anganwadi centres. The Department of Women and Child Development under its Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), instead, should disburse monthly salaries and honorarium to anganwadi workers and assistants.”

‘Annul agreement

Condemning the Vedanta Foundation’s taking over of the anganwadi centres in the taluk, she demanded that the State government annul the agreement entered into with the Foundation.