Hundreds of Anganwadi workers from various districts held a massive protest on the first day of the Assembly session on Monday. They warned that they will boycott Lok Sabha elections if the government continues to ignore their demands. Several Anganwadi workers  from different parts of the State rallied towards the Vidhan Sabha. They were stopped at the barricading near the Rispana bridge. Their main demands include a monthly allowance of Rs 18,000 and issuance of Rs five lakh at the time of retirement, among others. Anganwadi Workers Association  member Rekha Negi said that the large number of Anganwadi workers gathered here to protest against the government in the cold shows how difficult it is for them to sustain on their monthly allowance, especially those living and working in mountainous and remote areas. The Anganwadi workers work tirelessly but are still not paid adequately. We are asking the government to pay us the allowance as per the rules. Besides this, we also want the government to issue an Ayushman golden card to every Anganwadi worker since we work under various government schemes and have to visit several places. I believe we deserve to have a golden card that will help us to get treatment on time for serious health issues, Negi said. She also stated that since Anganwadi workers have to put physical and mental energy into their work for years, they should be paid a decent amount at the time of retirement. We demand at least Rs five lakh to ensure the workers can live a decent life after retirement. Several Anganwadi workers are already holding protests regarding these demands and their issues at the block level. However, if the government continues to ignore us, we will hold an intense State-wide protest and boycott Lok Sabha elections, she added.

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