The Samyukta Morcha of Anganwadi Employees’ Federation (SMAEF), Odihsa on Monday announced to join nationwide protest called for May 26 against this year’s low budgetary allocation for the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). Various Anganwadi associations affiliated to different trade unions under the aegis of the SMAEF took this decision at a meeting held at the AITUC officer here. Basant Sahoo presided over the meeting which was attended by All Odisha Anganwadi ladies Workers’ Association leader Anjali Patel, All Odisha Anganwadi Workers’ Association’s Bijay Jena and Harapriaya Swain, Odisha Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Association’s Radharaman Sarangi and Shantipriya Jena and Nikhila Utkal Anganwadi Karmachari Association’s Sanjukta Bisoyi.
According to the decision, Anganwadi Workers and Helpers would stage a joint dharna before the Raj Bhavan on May 26 and hand over a memorandum to the Union Government seeking fulfillment of their various demands. Their demands include increasing of ICDS allocation to Rs 35,000 crore, provision of nutritious food for beneficiaries, status of Government employees to all Anganwadi workers and helpers and regularisation of the ICDS. Notably, the Union Government has lowered the ICDS allocation to Rs 8,245.77 crore in this year’s Budget from Rs 18,108 crore allocated in 2014-15.