Anganwadi staff stage protest in Dindigul, Theni

Members of Tamil Nadu Anganwadi Staff and Assistants’ Association affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the Collectorate here late in the evening pressing for a charter of demands.

Members of Tamil Nadu Anganwadi Staff and Assistants’ Association affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the Collectorate here late in the evening pressing for a charter of demands.

Led by its district president A. Selva Thanapackiam. They demanded the State to fill vacancies in Anganwadi centres, to stop burdening workers by forcing them to manage two or three Anganwadi centres at a time and to provide summer holidays for the month of May.

They wanted the State to pay the electricity charges of Anganwadi centres, promotion of workers who have completed 10 years of service, provision of one year maternity leave similar to government officials, to disburse retirement benefits to pensioners, and to allot more funds for procuring vegetables.

District secretary C. Padmavathy and others were present.

A similar protest held in Theni led by its president G. Santhiammal. Their demands included for the State to fully reimburse the cost of the LPG cylinder, to give promotion to workers employed in mini anganwadis, to ensure transfers between the local anganwadis.

They opposed the proposal to merge anganwadis with five children or less to a main anganwadi centre and to rename anganwadis with 10 children or less as mini anganwadi centres.