Himachal Pradesh News
Anganwadi and Mid-Day Meal Workers Stage Mass Protest in Mandi Over Long-Pending Demands
Hundreds of anganwadi and mid-day meal workers held a major demonstration in Mandi, demanding overdue honorarium revisions, social security benefits, and action against digital exclusions and privatisation of welfare schemes. Union leaders warned of intensified agitation if the government does not respond.
Hundreds of workers—among them anganwadi workers, helpers and mid-day meal staff—staged a major protest outside the Mandi district headquarters today, responding to a nationwide call by the National Federation of Scheme Workers. Participants from several blocks across the district gathered to press for long-pending demands and voice deep frustration over what they described as prolonged government indifference.
The workers said that despite decades of service to the country’s poorest children—ensuring nutrition through the mid-day meal programme and supporting maternal and child health services through anganwadis—they continue to be overlooked. They noted that the Centre has not increased the honorarium of mid-day meal workers since 2009 and that of anganwadi workers since 2020, nor provided any relief to offset rising inflation.
Protesters also alleged that welfare schemes were gradually being transferred to private organisations under banners such as Nand Ghar, Vedanta and Poshan 2.0. They raised concerns that digitalisation efforts, especially the introduction of the FRS mobile app, have resulted in lakhs of eligible beneficiaries being excluded from essential welfare services. Repeated budget cuts and frequent delays of several months in honorarium payments have further compounded their difficulties, they said.
The union reiterated long-standing demands, including the implementation of Supreme Court directions on gratuity, pension, medical facilities and maternity leave for anganwadi workers; provision of 20 days of casual leave annually, similar to other government staff; timely release of mid-day meal honorarium with deposits ensured on the first of every month; and recognition of anganwadi and mid-day meal workers as employees in line with recommendations of the 45th Indian Labour Conference.
A memorandum outlining these demands was submitted to the Prime Minister through district authorities. Several union leaders, including CITU district president Bhupender Singh, district general secretary Rajesh Sharma, Gurdas Verma and Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union president Vimla Sharma, joined the demonstration. Workers warned that they would escalate their agitation if their concerns continue to be ignored.
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