Anganwadi workers in Andhra Pradesh stage protest seeking redress of their grievances

Thousands of anganwadi teachers, helpers and workers staged a dharna across the State on Friday, seeking resolution of their long-pending demands.

They struck work and participated in the protest seeking wage rise, implementation of gratuity, removal of multiple Apps, and extension of all welfare schemes to the staff. Besides strengthening pre-schools and increasing menu charges for mothers and children, they also demanded that the 1,810 mini centres be upgraded into main anganwadi centres.

More than one lakh members of the Andhra Pradesh Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Association (affiliated to the AITUC), the A.P. Pragathi Sheela Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Union and the A.P. Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Union (affiliated to the CITU) participated in the protest.

The government had given in writing a promise to address the problems when the anganwadi teachers and helpers strucl work for 42 days in 2023, but the demands remained unresolved, said a union leader J. Lalitha.

“Anganwadi teachers working in 55,607 centres will intensify the agitation if government fails to solve the problems,” warned another union leader V.R. Jyothi.