Agreeing to most of the demands of the Anganwaari Workers and Helpers Union, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that he would take up the issue with the Government of India (GoI) for their early and favorable resolution.Interacting with delegations of Anganwaari workers and Helpers which called on him at Punjab bhawan, this evening, the Chief Minister said that the state government was sympathetic towards the demands of Anganwaari workers and every possible effort would be made to resolve all the pending issues. Mr. Badal said that he would raise the matter of imparting health care facilities, insurance scheme, reducing the requisite experience for promotion from helper to worker and enhancing honorarium of the workers with the Union government. Mr. Badal said that he would soon raise these issues with the Union Minister Mrs Menaka Gandhi and ensure their prompt resolution.
The Chief Minister asked the Finance, Social Security and Health department to jointly work out modalities for effectively raising this issue with the Union government. Mr. Badal said that on its part the state government has already decided to enhance honorarium of Anganwaari workers and Helpers to Rs 600 and Rs 300 respectively thereby raising it to Rs 5600 and Rs.2800 per month.Acceding to demand made by delegation, the Chief Minister asked the Social Security department to explore the possibility of upgrading all the Mini Anganwaari centres to full fledged centres, provided they fulfill the stipulated criteria for it. He also asked the department to explore the feasibility of transferring eight blocks of Anganwaari centres from preview of Advisory Board and Child Welfare Council to the state government.Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mrs Farzaana Aalam, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr SK Sandhu, Secretary Health Mr. Hussan Lal, Secretary Expenditure Mr Jaspal Singh and Director Social Security Mr Gurloveleen Singh.The members of delegation included. Usha Rani, Saroj Chappriwala, Harjot Kaur, Sunil Kaur Bedi, Subash Rani, Krishana Rani, Gurmeet Kaur, Bhupinder Kaur, Anoop Kaur, Shinder Kaur, Amritpal Kaur and Jaswinder Kaur.