New Delhi, Sep 7 (PTI) Hundreds of anganwadi workers protested outside the Delhi Secretariat on Tuesday to demand an increase in their honorariums and that they be given status of government employees.

The protesting women also submitted a memorandum to Delhi Women and Child Development Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam.

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The minister said that he has met the anganwadi workers.

"They have submitted a memorandum of their demands and after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal comes back from his Vipassana session we will discuss with him. Their reasonable demands will be discussed,” Gautam told PTI.

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"There are some of demands which come under the purview of the Centre like declaring them as government employees," he said.

The minister also said that the honorarium of anganwadi workers was increased around four years ago and claimed that Delhi pays the highest amount in the country.

He, however, said they will consider their request.

The protest was held under the banner of the Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union.

Angawadi services come under the government's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.

Vrushali Shruti, the union's media in-charge, said that the central and state governments are not doing justice to the interests of Delhi's anganwadi workers.

Anganwadi women workers have been facing many problems for a long time, Shivani Kaul, president of Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union, said.

"In almost all the projects, workers and assistants are not being given full honorarium for a long time. Even the rent of many anganwadi centres is not being disbursed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, proper safety equipment was not arranged for the anganwadi workers working at the ground level at significant risk," she said.

"Anganwadi workers worked hard during the pandemic despite all deprivations and played a crucial role in arresting its further spread. Our honorarium was last increased in August 2017 after 58 days of strike," Kaul said.

In a statement, they said that Tuesday's protest was only a "warning demonstration", and if demands are not met, the workers will "be forced to intensify their struggle".

The anganwadi workers in their memorandum demanded that the policy of opening 'Saheli Coordination Centres' be withdrawn by the Delhi government since them to do "forced labour".

"The decision to extend the working days of anganwadi women workers without additional pay should be withdrawn immediately," it read.

In view of rising inflation, the government should increase the honorarium with immediate effect and ensure an honorarium of Rs 18,000 and Rs 12,000 for the worker and assistant respectively, they said.

"All anganwadi workers and helpers should be given the status of government employees and we should be regularised and brought under the framework of labour laws so that we can get a sure guarantee of employment," the memorandum stated.

All anganwadi workers and helpers should be provided facilities like ESI, PF and pension and social security cards should be issued, it read.

Anganwadi workers working in Delhi are not getting full honorarium since the last few months, the protesters alleged.

"The Delhi and the central governments should ensure that the arrears of honorarium increase announced by the Centre and applicable from October 1, 2018, (Rs 51,000 and Rs 25,500 respectively to the worker and helper for 34 months till August 2021) are paid immediately," they said.

They also alleged harassment of anganwadi workers by MLAs and their employees, and said that the exploitation of workers by engaging them in election campaigns should be immediately stopped.

"Proper security arrangements should be made for women workers working during the Covid epidemic and the responsibility of proper treatment should be taken by the department, in case, they get infected," the memorandum stated.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)