Intro
Anganwadi and Akshara Dasoha workers protest in Kalaburagi, demanding pay revision, service security, and fulfilment of long-pending demands.
Kalaburagi
Members of the Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers’ Association and Karnataka State Akshara Dasoha Employees’ Association staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kalaburagi, demanding immediate action on their long-pending demands, including salary revision, permanent appointments, and service security.
The protesters raised slogans against the state government and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the district administration, urging authorities to resolve their issues without further delay.
Addressing the gathering, association leader Shanta Ghante demanded that Anganwadi workers and helpers be completely exempted from non-departmental responsibilities such as Booth Level Officer (BLO) duties, Special Intensive Revision (SIR) work, election assignments, and other survey-related activities.
She also requested the government not to assign additional responsibilities to employees above 50 years of age, workers managing centres without helpers, and those facing health-related difficulties.
The association alleged that Anganwadi workers were facing pressure due to the Poshan Tracker application and demanded that the government provide financial support for mobile phones, internet charges, and maintenance costs. They also sought quality tablets with free internet facilities for digital work and urged the withdrawal of mandatory Facial Recognition System (FRS) and e-KYC requirements.
The protesters demanded that all Anganwadi centres be provided with safe drinking water, proper buildings, LPG connections, and essential kitchen equipment. They also sought revision of rent for centres functioning from rented premises.
Among their major demands were an increase in monthly honorarium to ₹41,000 for Anganwadi workers and ₹35,000 for helpers, along with a monthly pension of ₹18,000 after retirement. They also demanded uniform service rules, annual salary hikes, medical leave, summer vacation benefits, and other welfare measures.
The associations urged the government to fill supervisor vacancies through promotion of eligible Anganwadi workers and provide preference to them in recruitment for government positions such as ANM, primary school teachers, and Gram Sevaks.
District office-bearers M.B. Sajjan, Shanta Saradagi, Nagappa Rayachurkar, Rajmati Patil, Mahadevi Polakpalli, Vijayalakshmi Hiremath, Sangeeta Guttedar, and Rekha Rangan, along with several workers, participated in the protest.
