JHARSUGUDA: Chairman of Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board and BJD cashier Subash Singh assured the Anganwadi workers at a State-level convention here on Monday that steps will be taken to fulfil their demands.
The Anganwadi workers and helpers across the state were on strike for over three weeks, demanding regularisation of their services as Class III Government employees and hike in salary.
Speaking at the event, Singh said the Anganwadi workers are being tortured as volunteers by the Union Government despite being a part of the Mother and Child Development project of the Centre since 1975.
Moreover, the participants of the convention vehemently opposed the Centre’s proposal of asking the State Government to bear the salaries and other allowances of the Anganwadi workers and helpers. Currently, while 60 per cent of the salary of an Anganwadi worker is being borne by the Centre, the State sponsors for the remaining 40 per cent.
The proposal to open more Anganwadi centres in the tribal belt with assistance from the Centre was passed at the convention.President of Jharsuguda District Anganwadi Workers Silamati Pradhan chaired the meeting while State Workers’ Forum vice-president and Odisha Lift Irrigation chairman Anup Sai, WODC Kishore Kumar Mohanty and Jharsuguda Municipality Chairman Harish Ganatra shared the dais. Brajrajnagar Municipal Chairman, Belpahar Municipality Chairman and Anganwadi workers of the district also attended the convention.