Anganwadi workers in Assam mark ‘black day’ over low pay, Aadhaar-linked ration hurdles

A Correspondent

Nazira: At a time when the government is investing heavily in various schemes aimed at empowering women and making them self-reliant, a section of women workers has been compelled to take to protesting, demanding fair wages and resolution of long-pending issues. These women are Anganwadi workers and helpers.

Working at the grassroots level under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Anganwadi workers and helpers play a crucial role in providing care to children and pregnant women, contributing significantly to human resource development.

However, despite their vital responsibilities, they have not yet been recognized as regular government employees.

For a long time, these workers have been demanding wages instead of honorariums, but they continue to be deprived of fair compensation, which they argue is a constitutional right. Additionally, many helper positions remain vacant, and in several cases, qualified helpers have been performing the duties of workers without being promoted by the authorities.

The workers also highlighted challenges in implementing ration distribution to beneficiaries at home. Beneficiaries in the Take Home Ration (THR) scheme, which includes pregnant women, new mothers, and children aged six months to three years, must go through a photo verification and OTP authentication using their Aadhaar-registered mobile numbers.

This process must be repeated every time rations are distributed. The recent decision to make facial recognition and OTP verification mandatory has led to the exclusion of many beneficiaries from the list, depriving them of essential rations.

Amid these challenges, Anganwadi workers and helpers have been facing increasing difficulties in carrying out their duties effectively.

In response to a nationwide call by the All India Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Federation, the Assam State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association, along with the Nazira Project Committee, observed a “black day” across the state. In Nazira, protesters staged a demonstration in front of the Co-District Magistrate’s Court on July 11.

Later, a memorandum was submitted to the Director of the Women and Child Development Department, Government of Assam, through the Nazira Child Development Project Officer. The memorandum, signed by Nazira Project Committee president Jonmoni Tamuli and secretary Karabi Bordoloi, outlined an 8-point charter of demands.

Key demands include treating Anganwadi workers and helpers as regular government employees with proper pay instead of honorariums; stopping the required facial recognition system verification; promoting qualified helpers to open worker positions; filling half of the supervisor positions by promoting current workers; providing one-time financial help to retired workers and helpers; and building well-designed Anganwadi centres with better facilities.

The protesters urged the government to address their demands at the earliest.

Also Read: Nazira Anganwadi Workers Observe Black Day, Demand Fair Wages and Regularisation