Anganwadi workers stage protest against decision to close 62,153 Anganwadi centres

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Anganwadi workers and assistants rocked North Lakhimpur town on Saturday with a massive protest programme against the alleged conspiracy hatched to close 62,153 Anganwadi centres of the State on the basis of the new National Education Policy.

Regarding the issue, the Anganwadi workers and the assistants of the district assembled at the playground of North Lakhimpur Boys' HS school under the banner of the Lakhimpur district unit of Assam State Anganwadi Workers-Assistants' Union and held a protest meeting there. In the meeting, the Lakhimpur unit president and the secretary of the organization, Premada Mudoi and Amiya Saikia Baruah respectively, became vocal against the adverse effect of the National Education Policy, 2020 on the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), the Anganwadi workers and assistants and against the lackadaisical attitude on the part of the State Government towards their greater interest. Then they took out a protest rally covering North Lakhimpur town and staged massive protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office of the district.

By initiating the agitation programme, the organization demanded Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and his government to withdraw the decision of closing the 62,153 Anganwadi centres of the State. The protesters rocked the environment by shouting number of slogans in support of their demand and against the State and Union governments regarding the issue.

In this connection, the organization submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner. Through the same memorandum, the organization demanded the Chief Minister to take steps to retain the system of teaching children aged 3 to 6 years in Anganwadi centers and not in primary schools, to manage pension to the Anganwadi workers and assistants to whom notifications have been issued to take retirement, to treat the Anganwadi workers-assistants with equal dignity as government employees and to release them from the additional burden of government works.

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