Perturbed by the plan of the women empowerment and child welfare department to track their activities by providing them a Smartphone, the Anganwadi workers would hold state-wide protest on November 18.
These workers, however, are claiming that the smart phones provided to them are of very poor quality. They are accusing the officials of the department for indulging in corruption in the purchase of mobile phones.
The president of the association of the Anganwadi workers, Rekha Negi, said that the State Government should start an inquiry in the purchase of the mobile phones. She said that thousands of the Anganwadi workers in the State are suffering from stress due to the inferior quality mobile phone provided to them.
These workers are claiming that the market values of the phone provided to them is less than 6,000 but it was purchased at a cost of Rs 10,000, a piece.
When contacted the secretary women and child development Sowjanya said that norms were followed in the purchase of the mobile phones. The contention of department is that the procurement were done as per the Government e Market place (GeM) rules.
It is worth mentioning here that the Anganwadi workers would have to upload pictures of the daily activities done by them.
The State Government is also planning to link the remuneration of the Anganwadi workers with the data uploaded by them.
There are more than 20,000 Anganwadi workers in Uttarakhand.
The decision of the women empowerment and child development department to track their activities is creating resentment in the workers.
The president of Anganwadi workers association, Rekha Negi told The Pioneer that as part of the protest, the workers would keep the data of their mobiles off for one day.
The Anganwadi workers are also demanding that the State Government should increase their stipend. At present a stipend of Rs 7,000 per month is provided to the Anganwadi workers.