| Anganwari workers, helpers have come to starvation | | No salary from past several months in many ICDS projects across Kashmir valley | |  S Tahir-ul Haq
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Jan 24: Despite being a centrally sponsored scheme, hundreds of ICDS workers and Helpers are without salaries from past several months in most of the districts of JK union territory.
It is learnt that in 1975, in accordance to National policy for children, the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) was launched in India and simultaneously it was introduced in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2009.
According to sources that, there are hundreds of workers and helpers that are working in different zones and blocks of different districts of JK union territory are without salaries from past six-seven months.
An Anganwari worker (name with held) from Narbal block of Budgam district telephoned early times and said that, "my whole family is suffering badly as i haven't received my salary from past 7 months or so".
I couldn't pay tuition fee of my ward, he was not allowed to sit in coaching center, and with the result he is loosing his precious time of study, said an Anganwardi worker (AW).
She said that like me there are hundreds of workers and helpers in district Budgam that are without monthly salaries, adding that AW is being paid a honoriaum of Rs 4200/ per month and Helpers receive Rs 2200/ PM.
Despite working hard, our job is to enroll the kids up to the age of 0-6 years, pregnant and nursing mothers, but government is still in different to our demands, and fact of the matter is that many of us are widows that are bread earners for their families.
Another AW from Ganderbal district informed ET, and said that almost four months back, we were credited Rs 16000/ and rest of the money was not paid yet.
Our job is to provide food, pre school education, primary health care , immunization and much more, but government is hardly bothering about our work and day today problems that are being faced by hundreds of workers and helpers across the Kashmir valley.
Unfortunate part is that, even though rent was not released in favour of those house owners who provided the legal support in terms of accommodation, and they also suffer as we do, said an Anganwardi worker.
A group of Anganwardi worker said that, earlier we were receiving our monthly honorarium through state government, but since it was made through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) via gram panchayats, we are immensely facing hardships like anything.
Even though many times we lodged our protest before the concerned authorities to release our monthly salaries, but despite that government has failed to cracks the nuts of their ignorance and callous approaches.
It is pertinent to mention here that it was introduced by the government of India in all states and union territories with the purpose to meet the holistic needs of the children. |
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