Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jul 9: Anganwadi workers and helpers across Goa staged a day-long strike at Azad Maidan on Wednesday, calling for regularisation of their services, official recognition as government employees, and extended benefits such as pensions.

The protest was organised by the AITUC Goa-affiliated Akhil Goa Rajya Anganwadi Karmachari Sanghatana Union and supported by 10 central trade unions and multiple sectoral federations. The strike was also a show of resistance against existing labour and agricultural policies of both the Centre and the State.

As a result, all Anganwadi centres in Goa remained closed, disrupting early childhood education, nutrition services, and other community outreach programs.

Protesters highlighted a Supreme Court ruling that recognised Anganwadi workers as full-time employees and demanded pay scale parity, dearness allowance, gratuity, provident fund benefits, a well-monitored insurance scheme, and a fixed monthly pension of Rs 10,000.

Among other demands were relaxed qualification norms for supervisory roles, allowing 10th-pass Sevikas to apply, access to digital work tools, and a one-time transfer policy for marriage, spouse’s job relocation, or children’s education.

The workers also voiced concerns about operational challenges — calling for improved Take-Home Ration (THR) quality, a shift towards fresh meals or dry cereals, and the removal of Aadhaar and Family Ration Scale (FRS) conditions. They also opposed mandatory photo uploads of children during holidays.

Additional demands included a month-long summer vacation with ration provision, and the opening of new Anganwadi centres in under-served areas with populations exceeding 1,000.

The strike underscored growing dissatisfaction with the treatment of Anganwadi workers, who form the backbone of rural childcare and nutrition services.