After a two-day protest at Azad Maidan, thousands of Anganwadi workers and helpers, who had travelled to Mumbai from distant villages and towns in Maharashtra, are now returning, having secured only verbal assurances from state ministers. Additionally, the workers are receiving threats of losing their jobs if they do not return to work.
Since early December, Anganwadis across the state are closed as part of a strike by two lakh Anganwadi workers, impacting the health and nutrition of lakhs of children who depend on them. Even as their Azad Maidan protest has ended for the time being, the strike across the state will continue indefinitely until there are written assurances from the government.
The workers are demanding a salary of Rs 26,000, up from Rs 10,000 honorarium and Rs 20,000, increased from the current Rs 5,500, for the helpers. “A lot of us spent about Rs 2,500 in two days in Mumbai; this includes our travel expenses and had to come back home with nothing as of now. But we are hopeful that this protest will pay off in the near future; the government will not give us what we want unless we hold such strikes and protests,” said Pooja Patil, an Anganwadi worker who went back to Gadap village in Pen taluka under Raigad district.
Written assurances wanted
Shubha Shamim, president of CITU-affiliated Anganwadi Karmachari Sanghatana and convener of Maharashtra Anganwadi Kruti Samiti, said talks were held with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, and with officials from the Women and Child Development department where the unions were denied any raise in honorarium as there was an increase of Rs 1,000 earlier in 2023.
However, rural development minister Girish Mahajan met with the workers and told them the issue would be discussed in the next cabinet meeting. “He has nothing to do with our department. We cannot take his word for it. There are supposed to be written assurances by the government after such protests are held; minutes are supposed to be taken, and terms are supposed to be agreed by the authorities and the protestors. None of this happened,” she said.
In 2022, the Supreme Court noted that it was up to the union as well as state governments to pay gratuity and extend the rightful recognition of being employees to Anganwadi workers. “That is legally binding, so it will happen at some point, but we do not know when; right now, there needs to be dignified pay for the Anganwadi workers,” Shamim said.
Workers face job loss threats
Just a couple of days before their protest in Mumbai, some workers began receiving threats of strict action and termination notices due to their month-long absence from work. Rubal Agarwal, the state’s Integrated Child Development Services commissioner, said, “We will be taking back these notices if the workers report back on duty immediately. Those who fail to do so will have to face some action. Many have already begun to reopen Anganwadis after the protest.”
She also said the demands raised by the workers are policy decisions and cannot be granted immediately. “I do not want to take action against them because they are my family, but if they do not wish to work, then they can sit at home, and I will recruit new people. Some of the demands raised by them fall under the purview of the Central government, and the state government has no role in it,” Agarwal said.
On the other hand, Anganwadi workers as well as union leaders said the Centre and states have been pushing the blame on each other for over a decade now with no resolution for the workers. “This time, we are not rolling back our strike until our issues are resolved,” Shamim said.
Rs 1,000
The increased honorarium amount for 2023
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