MLA's nominee clarifies on service termination of ICDS workers
Source: Chronicle News Service / Kaimuanthang Mangte

CCpur, October 23 2022: Thanlon MLA's nominee (social welfare) K Paumuanthang on Sunday made a clarification regarding the recent termination of service of 127 workers under the Integrated Child Development Schemes (ICDS) under Thanlon Block.

Paumuanthang said that there has been an increased workload of the ICDS Anganwadi workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi helpers (AWHs) posted at various centres which include distribution of milk and other edibles to children, besides taking care of school children in the preparatory stage.

As a result, it is a must for the workers and helpers to be present at their respective places of posting but many of them were found not residing at their workplaces.

In this connection, in the name of a bogus association some vested interests on October 20, 2022 gathered and spread a false information that the workers of Thanlon MLA and some village chiefs jointly pressurised the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) to terminate 127 Anganwadi workers and helpers on the grounds that they have shifted or migrated out of the village where they are posted, he said.

On receiving inputs provided by village chiefs and the public, authorities concerned of the department were informed with a request for an enquiry of the issue.

On learning that a verification and fact finding was bound to be initiated, the workers and helpers rushed to the villages where they were posted by hiring vehicles and upon reaching the destinations they took photos of houses in the villages including some vacant houses to dupe the authorities that they were staying at their places of posting.

Then they went back to Churachandpur town with the knowledge that they could be removed or terminated from service, Paumuanthang continued.

These people not only spread lies blaming wrongly who they felt was responsible for their dismissal but also urged the public to stand by their cause.

It was not about the migration of the 127 workers in the first instance but a migration/shifting from a village due to old age and in some cases posting of government employees at different locations, he added.

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