Three Anganwadi workers from Chhattisgarh bags National Awards—Demands for “Permanent Jobs”

Chhattisgarh Times Raipur: As many as three Anganwadi workers from Chhattisgarh bagged National Awards on Monday for effective implementation of various services and their exemplary work.

The three Anganwadi workers including Premlata Chakresh from Jashpur district, Meena Verma from Durg district, and Poonam Beenjhwar from Korba district were among the award winners. Union Minister Maneka Gandhi gave away the awards at an event held in New Delhi on Monday. The award-winning Anganwadi workers excelled in nutritious meal scheme, inoculation, and informal education projects.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel congratulated and sent his best wishes to the three Chhattisgarh Anganwadi workers who bagged the prestigious National Awards. In a congratulatory message, Chief Minister mentioned that the achievements of these Anganwadi workers will be a source of inspiration to others also.

Besides, a number of Anganwadi workers who were honoured by Union Minister Maneka Gandhi here on Monday for their exemplary work demanded a permanent job and an honorarium of at least Rs 18,000 saying that they were happy for being awarded but just the recognition was not enough.

A 52-years-old Meena Verma hailing from Durg district said that she started working as an Anganwadi worker in 1997, but still doesn’t have a “permanent job”.

“We provide basic healthcare for the mother and child. We ensure antenatal and postnatal care for pregnant women. We administer vaccines to children, conduct surveys and are also deployed on election duty. We have given our entire lives to Anganwadi. Still, we get paid a paltry sum,” she said.

Verma—a mother of two, whose husband is a daily wager, says her family falls under the below poverty line category and it is difficult to survive on an honorarium of Rs 5,000 let alone educate her two children.

Premlata Chakresh, who hails from Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur and was rewarded for her exceptional work under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ programme, said she was happy that her efforts were recognized, but she would be “happier if the government increased honorarium to Rs 18,000”.