IMPHAL, July 19 NNN : Anganwadi workers and helpers took out rallies in different parts of Manipur on Friday to lodge protest against non-payment of their 14 months due of honorariums by the state Government.
\nThe protests were simultaneously organised in Imphal, Tamenglong and Churachandpur districts in the wake of the recent assurance given by Social Welfare minister AK Mirabai to clear their honorariums for five months only.
\nIn Imphal, hundreds of Angawadi workers and helpers took out the rally that started from the office of the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (AWHUM), Manipur at the IrawatBhawan Complex. Members of anganwadi associations of other districts except for that of Tamenglong and Churachandpur participated the demonstration in Imphal.
\nHowever, the rally led by the AWHUM was forced to halt in front of Kangla Fort after a large number of police personnel stopped them there.
\nThere, the police picked up three prominent leaders who submitted a letter to the Chief Minister apprising him six different demands of the union. Copies of the letter were also submitted to the Social Welfare minister and the Director of the department.
\nIn a statement, AWHUM said that it cannot accept the honorarium assured by the Social Welfare minister and it wants complete clearance of the 14 months due of honorariums.
\nThe statement said that supplying of supplementary nutrition food items to anganwadi centre should be stopped as beneficiaries are refusing to consume them.
\nRemoving anganwadi workers and helpers who are in the age of 60 was not a right move of the Government, it said and appealed to Chief Minister O Ibobi to take steps to extend the age limit of the anganwadi workers and helper to 65 years.
\nIt also urged the Chief Minister to separate the state\u2019s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) from the Social Welfare.<\/p>\n\n