The AP state government issued orders on 6th January 2024, invoking the Essential Services and Maintenance Act, 1971 (ESMA), against agitating Anganwadi workers and helpers. The order also prohibited the workers from going on strike for six months. This arbitrary measure greatly angered the Anganwadi workers, who decided unitedly to further intensify their agitation, which has been going on for the past 26 days.
“We have burnt the copies of G.O. No. 2 at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada. Anganwadi workers and helpers will further intensify their agitation,” said a representative of the AP Anganwadi Workers’ and Helpers’ Association. Denouncing the government for passing this order, the agitating workers said that if the government really cares for the welfare of children, pregnant and lactating women, it should ensure that the Anganwadi workers, who are serving the needs of these children and women, are ensured just conditions of work.
On the contrary, the government has been ignoring their basic demands of Rs.26,000 as salary, gratuity, paid medical leave, recognition of mini workers as main workers, retirement benefits and pension. Currently they are paid a mere Rs.11,500 as honorarium. The government does not consider them workers, except when it comes to invoking ESMA!
Anganwadi workers in Maharashtra strike
On 19th January, Maharashtra’s Anganwadi workers completed 46 days of their strike. Their basic demands are a wage raise so as to ensure a dignified existence (from ₹10,000 to ₹26,000 for a worker, and from ₹5,500 to ₹18,000 for a helper), treatment at par with government employees with respect to benefits such as gratuity and pension, edible and nutritious food as well as a clean and safe space for the children entrusted to their care. They are also seeking timely payment of wages and new mobile phones, because their work depends on the use of mobile phones and various phone-based Apps.
On 1st January, thousands of women Anganwadi workers from across Maharashtra, began their long march to the State capital Mumbai, to join their fellow Anganwadi workers, who had been staging a protest at Azad Maidan since 4th December 2023.
The striking workers travelled hundreds of kilometres by bus from several districts of the state, carrying just two days’ worth of food and sheets to spread out for the night.
Reports show that as of December 2023, Maharashtra has 1,10,465 Anganwadi centres and 1,08,507 Anganwadi workers. Each Anganwadi worker takes care of approximately 60 children, and 7 pregnant or lactating women. They are not provided with regular and adequate supply of provisions to run the Anganwadi centre and are forced to go door to door begging for pulses and cereals!
On 12th January, Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers joined the strike, demanding revised salaries, on-time payment and bonus.
In the past decade and more, hundreds of Anganwadi and ASHA workers have been coming out on the streets in several states including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, UP, Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Their demands have been consistent – that they be given recognition as government workers, paid at least the minimum statutory salary, definite hours of work, prompt payment of the compensation that was promised to them for working during Covid and retirement benefits. However, neither the Central government nor any of the state governments has met these demands. On the contrary, the striking workers have been met with lathis and police repression and threats of punitive action under ESMA.
Anganwadi and Asha workers perform some of the most critical duties to ensure the health and well-being of women and children. They serve as a crucial link between the government health services and the people. The Central and state governments deserve to be condemned for their cruel indifference towards the well-being of these workers and for using ESMA to crush their just struggle.