Anganwadi workers stage protest all over
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, July 19 2013 :
Anganwadi workers and helpers took out rallies in different parts of State on Friday to lodge protest against non-payment of their 14 months' due honorariums by the state Government.
The protests were simultaneously organised in Imphal, Tamenglong and Churachandpur districts in the wake of the recent assurance given by Social Welfare minister AK Mirabai to clear their honorariums for five months only.
In Imphal, hundreds of Angawadi workers and helpers took out the rally that started from the office of the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (AWHUM), Manipur located within the Irawat Bhawan Complex.
Members of anganwadi associations of other districts except for that of Tamenglong and Churachandpur participated the demonstration in Imphal.
However, the rally led by the AWHUM was forced to halt in front of Kangla Fort after a large number of police personnel stopped them there.
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There, the police allowed three prominent leaders to submit a written representation to the Chief Minister apprising him of the demands of the union.
Copies of the representations were also addressed to the Social Welfare Minister and the Director of the department.
In the representation, AWHUM made it clear that it cannot accept the honorarium assured by the Social Welfare Minister and it wants complete clearance of the 14 months due honorariums.
The representation also stated that supplying of supplementary nutrition food items to anganwadi centre should be stopped as beneficiaries are refusing to consume them.
Removing anganwadi workers and helpers who are in the age of 60 was not a right move of the Government, it said and appealed to Chief Minister O Ibobi to take steps to extend the age limit of the anganwadi workers and helper to 65 years.
It also urged the Chief Minister to separate the state's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) from the Social Welfare.
Our Tamenglong correspondent adds: Joining the protest, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers' Association, Tamenglong also organised a sit in protest in front of DC office gate, Tamenglong from 10 am to 1 pm.
Around 200 women participated in the protest demonstration.
On hearing that the Deputy Commissioner was out of station, the protestors went back discontented.
Finally they submitted a memorandum to Joseph Pauline, ADM Tamenglong at his residence, who was reported to be sick.