Bathinda, December 7 Members of the All-Punjab Anganwadi Workers’ Union from Malwa region conducted a meeting to discuss their future course of action regarding their long-standing demands, here at Teachers’ Home on Saturday. The anganwadi workers said they would conduct block-wise protests throughout the state on December 12 and in February an indefinite hunger strike would be observed in front of ministers of the department concerned. State president of the union Hargobind Kaur said: “Despite resorting to agitations on regular intervals and meetings higher officials of the department, nothing concrete has come out so far. Now, we are left with no other alternative than to intensify our stir.” “All anganwadi centres are operating from rented building in urban area of the city, but the anganwadi workers have not received rent for these centres in Bathinda for the past one year. The payment for past four months was credited last month only. The current monthly honorarium of an anganwadi worker is Rs8,100. Earlier, it was Rs5,600. The Union Government had increased honorarium for anganwadi workers in October last year and as per 60:40 ratio scheme, the Central Government has bears Rs4,500 while the state has to give Rs3,600. The Punjab government has not made complete payments till now,” she added. Other representatives of the union from the Malwa region alleged that anganwadi workers were living a miserable life due to government’s apathy towards their long-pending demands.

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