Anganwadi workers court arrest demanding revised payscale

Amravati: Demanding implementation of the revised payscale and other benefits assured by the central government, thousands of anganwadi workers courted arrest here, sources said. The angwanwadi workers, who came together under the banner of Maharashtra Anganwadi Workers` Organisation, staged protests here yesterday before courting arrests. Over 4,000 anganwadi workers gathered at the District Collectorate demanding immediate consideration to increase salary and benefit that government promised three months back.

They demanded increment up to Rs 10,000 for permanent workers and Rs 7,500 for temporary staff; status for government workers; post retirement benefits; increased dearness allowance. The workers, who had been on strike from January 6. "Our demands are justified and it is our right to ask for incentives we deserve. We aren`t begging, but coping with the current income is getting harder every day with inflation disrupting our budgets," said Pratibha Shinde, district Secretary of Anganwadi Workers Organisation. According to sources, some other party workers approached Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers to seek help from party leader Arvind Kejriwal on the issue. Anganwadis are courtyard shelter, operated by the government under the Integrated Child Development Services program to combat child hunger and malnutrition, among other things.