Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The protest of the Assam State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers' Association entered its sixth day today. They have been demanding an increase in their wages. This protest has been going on since February 1, in front of the Women and Child Welfare Directorate office at Uzanbazar.
As the protest stepped into its sixth day on Wednesday, at around 11.30 AM, a large number of Anganwadi workers from Sonitpur, Biswanath, Karimganj, Kamrup, and other districts of the state joined in the ongoing protest at Uzanbazar. State Woman Congress leader Mira Borthakur was also present for the protest today. During her speech, she mentioned that the government is spending thousands of crores of rupees on the advertisement of government schemes like Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao but has failed to pay the dues to the people who work day in and day out to ensure the proper implementation of these schemes.
It must be noted that several key schemes of the government, including PM Poshan, NRC, Polio, Ayushman Bharat, and multiple schemes of the state government, are being implemented at the ground level by the Aganwadi workers. The mini-workers have also been working in tandem with the Election Commission to make the rural public aware.
The protesters mentioned that it is very disturbing that these key workers are not paid their due wages, and around 1 lakh and 21 thousand employees are affected by the same problem. Adding to that, they have been undertaking protests at various levels, including the project level and district level, but the government has paid no heed to their demands. They also mentioned that they had staged protests in October last year to make their demands heard by the authorities, and discussions also took place at various levels, but sadly, no action has been taken towards increasing their wages till date. Hence, the organisation has demanded that a resolution to increase the salaries of the workers be passed during the budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly.
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