Bengaluru: Anganwadi workers who were on strike for the last four days have called off their agitation after meeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday.
“We have decided to call off our agitation temporarily after being assured by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on hiking our honorarium,’’ said S Varalakshmi, president, Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers’ Association.
Thousands of childcare workers (anganwadis) had descended on Bengaluru in support of their demands and squatted on Seshadri Road near Freedom Park since Monday. “We had a two-hour long meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. We are calling of our agitation trusting Chief Minister’s assurance. If he goes back on his assurance, we will lay siege to his residence,’’ Varalakshmi said.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister had a meeting with representatives of Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers’ Association. The Chief Minister had agreed to have a meeting with them on April 19 to discuss the issue of hiking honorarium.
However, the representatives of Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers’ Association, though initially agreed to call of their agitation, took a U-turn and continued their agitation.
“The Chief Minister has agreed to hold a meeting on April 10 to discuss the hike of honorarium,’’ she said.
Around 1.2-lakh Anganwadis and helpers are employed at 65,911 centres across the state for early childhood care and development under the central government’s Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) scheme.
As per ICDS guidelines, an Anganwadi is given Rs.3,000 and her helper Rs.1,500 per month as honorarium, with the central and the state government sharing the cost on 60:40 per cent basis since 2015-16 as against 90:10 per cent basis since the scheme was launched in 1975.
