KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: In a big respite to government, the striking Anganwadi workers called off their 40-day long agitation following a talk with the state women and child development minister Prafulla Samal on Saturday evening.
The All Odisha Anganwadi Ladies Workers’ Association which had earlier defied Samal’s warning of action and had decided to continue with the agitation till the fulfillment of their 13 point charter of demands, announced to join work from Monday.
During his discussion with the association, Samal assured the agitating Anganwadi workers to positively consider their demands like remuneration of Rs 18,000 per month and regularization of jobs. He also assured the agitating workers that no anganwadi workers will do extra work apart from the works assigned to them.
Expressing his happiness soon after the association shun its strike, Samal said there was a difference between the government and the workers over certain issues which had been sorted out.
Notably, Odisha Government announced a 50% hike in the remuneration of Anganwadi workers across categories which it said would be borne from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The decision was taken after a discussion between Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and representatives of Anganwadi workers’ union.
While four of the five Anganwadi associations had called off their strike after the announcement, the All Odisha Anganwadi Ladies Workers’ Association affiliated to Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangha, continued with its cease work agitation at Lower PMG Square in the city.
Ms Kalinga