Srinagar, July 3 (KNO) : Asking the Jammu and Kashmir government to fulfill the genuine demands of Aganwadi workers/Helpers, ASHAs, CPWs and Mid-Day Meal Workers without any further delay, State President CITU and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today said the callous attitude of authorities has created uncertainty among these workers.
Addressing a day-long convention of representatives of these Unions, he said in Delhi and Haryana Anganwadi workers and helpers are paid Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 per month respectively. However, unfortunately in J&K these workers and helpers working under the ICDS since 1975 are getting meagre wages of Rs 3600 and Rs 1800 respectively per month for the same work which is injustice with them. Last year the government while presenting the Budget had announced an enhancement of Rs 500 in their honorarium but the order was not implemented sofar. Urging the government to provide a dignified monthly honorarium to ASHA workers who essentially act as backbone of the health structure in rural areas of the state, the CPI (M) leader said the custom of paying poor compensation for extreme hard work should come to an end to protect the women folk working in different sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.
The government has totally neglected ASHA workers, who are contributing a lot to make NHM a success scheme. The Government must consider the genuine demands of ASHAs which includes minimum wages of Rs 15,000 per month, all social security benefits like pension and gratuity. Tarigami reminded the government that CPWs have been working in various schools for many years now with majority of them having put in 20 years consolidated service on insignificant monthly remuneration ranging from Rs 50 to 2000. Even in several cases during the 2016 unrest when mysterious burning of schools started, the CPWs guarded the schools.
The CPWs should be paid regular wages @Rs.110/- per day as assured earlier by the government. They are being paid less than the normal wages, which is a gross violation of Minimum Wages Act and severe injustice with them. These workers be provided 50% quota from Watch and Ward posts recently sanctioned by the government under SRO 308. The Mid Day Meal Scheme delivers basic services of nutrition, in the schools and Mid Day Meal workers are not being paid minimum wages nor do they have any social security benefits. In the name of ‘honorarium’ or ‘incentive’ they are paid a pittance as low as Rs.1000 per month for ten months a year. He demanded adequate financial allocation to this Scheme to ensure proper infrastructure, including kitchen sheds, storage place and safe drinking water etc.