Anganbadi workers demands govt employee status

New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) Anganbadi workers from across the country today protested at the Jantar Mantar demanding government employee status and minimum wage be given to them. Anganbadi state president Girish Pandey said minimum wages and government employee status should be given to all the Anganbadi workers. He demanded that until they were not made government employees, they should be given Rs 5,000 as stipend and after getting government employee status, minimum wages should be given. ''They are just getting Rs 1,500 per month which comes around Rs 50 per day, whereas, NAREGA workers get Rs 100 per day for just digging a hole. Our workers are indulged in mental work and their's include only physical work, Mr Pandey told UNI. Around 28 lakh Anganbadi workers in the country are facing this extremely difficult situation and finding it hard to survive with such a low earning, Hind Majdoor Kissan Panchayat Vice-president Vijay Narayan said. Mr Pandey said low wages were also affecting the real aim set out by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as it was quite de-motivating for the workers and they were getting indulged in pilferage. ''Four years ago we met with Ms Sonia Gandhi and had discussed the issues in details. She assured us of appropriate steps in this direction but nothing has been done so far,'' Mr Narayan lamented. The agitators were also demanding retirement benefits and pension facility for the all Anganbadi workers.