Anganwadi, meal staff to launch State-wide agitation on August 16

Pressing for their various demands, including payment of pending wages, withdrawal of the move to launch Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme for anganwadi children and pregnant women and inquiry into

Pressing for their various demands, including payment of pending wages, withdrawal of the move to launch Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme for anganwadi children and pregnant women and inquiry into allegations of corruption in egg distribution, anganwadi and mid-day meal employees will launch a State-wide strike on August 16, president of Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers Association S. Varalakshmi has said. “All anganwadi and mid-day meal employees will strike work and join the decentralised agitation that will be simultaneously held in all district headquarters on August 16. If the government doesn’t consider our demands, the employees will march to Bengaluru,” Ms. Varalakshmi, who is also honorary president of Karnataka State Midday Meal Workers Association, said at a press conference in Kalaburagi on Monday. Expressing discontent over the government’s treatment of anganwadi workers who stood in the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 at the grassroots level, the trade union leader demanded that the government pay ₹30 lakh compensation as promised to anganwadi workers who died while discharging their duties as Corona Warriors in the State.