A.P. Anganwadi Workers’ and Helpers’ Federation on Sunday demanded that the government supply quality food to Anganwadi centres across the State. The federation, affiliated to IFTU, will launch an agitation with other unions and organisations if the pending bills were not cleared immediately, it said.
Speaking to media persons here, federation president J. Gangavathi alleged that some officers in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Civil Supplies departments were resorting to irregularities in supplying ration to the centres.
Federation state honorary president R. Hari Krishna said that the rice bags supplied to Anganwadi centres weighed only 45-47 kg instead of 50 kg and that red gram, chikki and raagi flour were of poor quality. He appealed to the government to supply quality food to children and give three pairs of uniforms a year for each student.
General secretary of the federation V.R. Jyothi said bills were pending for the last six years and the Anganwadi workers and helpers were facing troubles to run the centres. Salaries to the Anganwadi workers were not paid for the last three months. The government should recognise Anganwadi workers and helpers as government employees and provide all benefits and pay salaries regularly.
