What Health and Jobs Crisis? Govt Dismisses 900 Anganwadi Workers in J&K

SRINAGAR: In a recent move the government in Jammu and Kashmir ordered disengagement of 918 helpers to supervisors employed in Integrated Child Development Services in Kashmir.

On Saturday these essential workers staged massive protests in the Press Colony in Srinagar demanding revocation of the UT administration’s order.

Since 2019 they have protested from time to time in Srinagar and other areas saying they are not getting their wages like they used to get earlier, before 2019.

During back to back protests they have also demanded the release of all pending wages, and the sanctioning of permanent posts for their welfare and security.

To the contrary, the authorities issued an order on August 27 that has left these workers dismayed.

The order reads that “I am directed to convey the decision taken in a meeting held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Advisor (F) on 27-08-2021, where under among others it was decided that 918 helpers to supervisors who have been engaged unauthorizedly by field functionaries of ICDS, J&K from time to time without any sanctioned posts need to be immediately disengaged.”

A group of such workers, from helpers to supervisors, assembled on Press Enclave on Saturday and raised slogans against the government, saying its order needs to be revoked at the earliest.

One protester said that they were assured of “help” from time to time but had been “disengaged” now, forcing them to come onto the roads.

She said they will not stop protesting until the government revokes the order, adding that their children will also come out to protest against the order of dismissal.

“We have been working in ICDS Kashmir for decades, and were getting monthly pay of Rs 1,700 to 2,500” another protestor said.

But “since 2019 the payments were not made available for us, due to which we were protesting from time to time, to seek wages.”

Mahajabeena Akhther, president of the J&K ICDS Helpers to Supervisors Association told The Citizen that these essential workers have worked for the ICDS for 25 to 30 years, and called the disengagement an injustice.

Akhter said that they would continue to demand revocation of the order, release of pending wages and sanctioning of posts “even if it take us two months.”

According to Akhter most of the workers are the sole breadearners for their family.

Meanwhile, CPI-M leader Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami also expressed concern over these workers’ dismissal.

“Promise of ‘Vikas’ after abrogation of Article 370 is falling flat as J&K recorded highest unemployment rate in country. What is more shocking is that instead of creating employment opportunities, J&K administration issued a devastating order of disengaging 918 Anganwari helpers,” Tarigami tweeted.

Photographs: Firdous Parray