Scheme workers protest over unfulfilled demands
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 24 2021:
Denouncing the delay in fulfilling the prolonged demands of scheme workers, Joint Platform of Scheme Workers' staged a protest in front of Irawat Bhavan here on Friday.
The protest was participated by ASH A, Anganwadi, midday meal workers and helpers from different PHDCs.
Members of Central Trade Union Manipur State Committee including AITUC Manipur general secretary L Sotinkumar, CITUC secretary Kshetrimayum Shanta, TUCC state secretary K Manoranjan and Scheme workers leaders like Midday Meal Workers' Union Manipur president Y Indrani Devi, All Manipur ASHA Workers' Union president Th Purnimasi Devi along with representatives of Anganwadi Worker Helpers and Mini workers also attended the protest.
Speaking on the sidelines, L Sotinkumar asserted that the demands of the scheme workers are justified as the honorariums, remuneration and incentives provided to them are not practical in present times.
The status of the scheme workers should be upgraded to that a proper worker and they must be paid Rs 21,000 per month.
Additionally, compensations should be ensured to the scheme workers who assisted in combating the pandemic as Covid warriors, he maintained, while stating that the financial situation of the scheme workers could be improved by allocating funds in the annual budget as incentives for them.
While Shanta urged the state government to increase the honorariums of the scheme workers as done in other states; K Manoranjan questioned the delay in providing benefits to the scheme workers.
He then cautioned against violating the rights of the scheme workers.
In her speech, Midday Meal Workers' Union Manipur president Y Indrani Devi questioned how midday meal workers are supposed to survive with Rs 1100 per month, (10-month engagement period) in the present times, and expressed strong resentment that the state government is yet to disburse the honorarium funds which have been already been sanctioned by the central government.
She then demanded the government to distribute the same at the earliest.
Manipur ASHA Workers' Union president Th Purnimasi Devi urged the state government to formulate a policy for ASHA workers and recognise them as health workers and highlighted on six other demands of the scheme workers.
Rina, one of the leaders from Thoubal district drew the attention of the government on the various problems faced by Anganwadi workers.
She then denounced the police for blocking 44 Anganwadi workers from reaching the protest venue and urged for not repeating such acts in future.
Similar protests were also carried out by scheme workers under the supervision of 8 central trade unions, at Kakching, Jiribam and Bishnupur.