Punjab Government on Monday announced one month medical leave with pay as a welfare measure to Anganwari workers, conceding to their long pending demand. The decision was taken by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during a meeting with the delegation of All Punjab Anganwari Mulazim Union led by its president Hargobind Kaur on Monday.
It was informed in the meeting that earlier, the Anganwari workers were only entitled for medical leave for 10 days, and now, they could avail medical leave for one month with pay.
The Chief Minister also asked the Finance Department to immediately release second instalment of Rs 18 crore to the Social Security Department for the completion of nearly 800 unfinished buildings of Anganwari Centres so that they could be made functional at the earliest.
The state government had already released Rs 18 crore as first instalment for the construction of these buildings.
Badal also gave nod to start the construction of 68 new Anganwari centres shortly with the funds of Rs four crore already released by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), an apex development bank in India.
The Chief Minister also assured the delegation that he would soon take up the issue to reduce the work experience from 10 to three years for the promotion of Anganwari helper to Anganwari workers.
Badal also asked the state Social Security Minister to get the issue of transferring eight Anganwari blocks, jointly run by the Social Welfare Advisory Board and the Punjab Child Welfare Council, thoroughly examined to streamline the functioning of Anganwari Centres in a result-oriented manner.
Responding to another demand for appointing teachers amongst 50-60 Anganwari workers who have already cleared Teacher’s Eligibility Test, Badal asked the Social Security Department to take up this issue with the Education Department for giving special relaxation in age in this regard.