Agartala, August 20: A large number of Anganwadi (ICDS) workers and helpers from across Tripura staged a road blockade outside the Directorate of Social Welfare and Social Education in Agartala on Thursday, demanding regularisation of their services, equal pay for equal work and benefits at par with government employees.
The protesters, said they had assembled from 57 ICDS projects, held the demonstration despite rain and heavy security deployment.
They submitted a 10-point charter of demands, with regularisation, government-equivalent benefits and payment of gratuity among their principal demands.
Pratima Bhumik, president of the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Association, said the workers had repeatedly submitted deputations and received assurances but claimed that their demands remained unresolved.
“Our main demand is regularisation. Along with regularisation, we want equal pay for equal work and facilities available to government employees,” Bhumik said.
She also demanded implementation of the 50 per cent promotion provision for Anganwadi workers to supervisor posts, payment of gratuity and improved remuneration.
The protesters also demanded laptops and reimbursement of mobile recharge costs, saying the existing 4G devices were inadequate for the growing volume of digital work. They alleged that several duties beyond the six core services of the Anganwadi system had been assigned to them without corresponding enhancement of remuneration.
Another representative, Kalpana Kaloi, secretary of the organization, said the workers could not continue operating the centres without better wages and service conditions.
The protesters warned that they would intensify the agitation if the government failed to provide written assurances on their principal demands.
Tripura has 10,145 sanctioned Anganwadi centres each consisting of a worker and helper, under 56 ICDS projects across the state.
The agitation assumes wider significance as Anganwadi workers and helpers are the frontline workforce delivering the six services under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, including supplementary nutrition, pre-school education, nutrition and health education, immunisation, health check-ups and referral services. The Union government continues to classify them as honorary workers rather than regular government employees.
The demands have also become a political issue in Tripura, with the opposition CPI(M) and its affiliated trade union organisations repeatedly raising the service and remuneration issues of Anganwadi workers and helpers to put pressure on the BJP-led government.
The protesters said they would remain on the road until senior officials responded in writing to at least their principal demands.
