Hundreds of Anganwadi workers on Tuesday protested in front of the office of chief electoral officer against non-payment in lieu of their services as a part of their election duty.
The workers demanded that remuneration for their election duty during last year and this year be given immediately. Officers assured them quick relief. Amid the preparations of second phase of Assembly polls, Anganwadi workers were given the duty of distributing voter slips in Science College.
They had reached the campus on Tuesday morning to collect the slips where they also discussed about their payment with the officers on election duty. Instead of addressing their grievances, the officers rebuked them. This doubled as a heated argument between the two groups.
Upset over the delay, Anganwadi workers went to the office of chief electoral officer and shouted slogans against the administration and demand immediate compensation. They also met Sunil Kujur, chief electoral officer. Anganwadi workers Sarita Pathak, Suman Yadav, Sunita Sonkar, Radha Devangan, Mamta Shukla and other workers told Kujur that even the compensation during the last election is pending. “We will not provide our services in these conditions,” they said.
Kujur said that they will be provided a remuneration of `750 against their services of distributing voter slips and presence during on polling day both for this year and previous election year. “I will discuss this issue with officers in election commission and then deposit the sum in their bank accounts,” he said. The workers returned to their duties after Kujur’s assurance.