Anganwadi workers, helpers storm Directorate of Social Welfare Retirement age at 65 demand raised

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 3 : A large number of Anganwadi workers and helpers stormed the Directorate of Social Welfare  at North AOC, Imphal today.
The Anganwadi workers and helpers, under  the Manipur Anganwadi Mahila Organisation (MAMO), have been demanding extension of retirement age from 60 years to 65 years, swift and complete release of all honorarium, incentives through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) and retirement benefits.
They have also asserted that no new recruitment may be conducted until their demands are met.
The Manipur Anganwadi Mahila Organisation (MAMO) had launched the stir on April 18.
During the protest demonstration today, MAMO general secretary S Shairabati Devi said the Social Welfare Department must organise a meeting inviting MAMO representatives and officials of the Labour Department at the earliest to discuss the demands and bring about a resolution.
Until an agreement is reached, the Anganwadi workers and helpers will not cease the stir, she said.
MAMO president Loukrakpam Sanatombi said many States in India have extended the retirement age of Anganwadi workers and helpers to 65 years. The States include Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Ladakh, Meghalaya and Telangana.
While Anganwadi workers are supposed to get an incentive of Rs 500 a month, they have not been paid in full. Some are paid Rs 250 and many others are getting just Rs 125, she claimed.
The incentive and honorarium must be paid in full and timely, she added.
Despite assurances given during the previous Government and during President's Rule, the Government has not yet met the demands, she said, asserting that the stir will continue until the demands are fulfilled.
The Directorate of Social Welfare, has meanwhile, stated that a proposal to the Administrative  Department has already been submitted to expedite the decision of enhancement of working age of Anganwadi workers, helpers on April 6. Further, the Department has also submitted a comparative data on the retirement age in respect of different States, particularly the North East States, as sought by the Administrative Department, it said.
So far, there has been no instruction from the Government for enhancement of the age of superannuation of Anganwadi workers and Anganwadi helpers. Once the age of retirement of Anganwadi workers and helpers is fixed, due honorarium shall be released immediately, it said.
Also, the total vacancy as per Poshan Tracker report are 777 for Anganwadi workers and 2,100 for Anganwadi helpers. A large number of vacancies in the Anganwadi centres has caused a lot of inconveniences in providing Anganwadi services to children below the age of 6 years, lactating mothers and pregnant women across the State, it noted.
All due pending incentives for Poshan Tracker,  CBE (Community-Based Events) and PMMVY (Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana) have been paid to all eligible Anganwadi workers and helpers. Under Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP), Take-Home Ration (THR) and Hot-Cooked Meals (HCM) are provided to the Anganwadi Centres adequately and regularly. Sometimes, HCM could be delayed due to delay in the release of Central share from the Ministry, it added.