Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged the government to increase the honorarium of Anganwadi workers and help retiring workers and helpers get gratuity.
He also nudged the government to lay out a path to "progressively improve their working conditions and social security".
In a letter to Union women and child development minister Annpurna Devi, he said the Supreme Court had three years ago recognised Anganwadi workers and helpers as formal workers, entitling them to gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972.
"Yet, the government of India has taken no steps to implement this judgement," the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
Referring to his recent meeting with a delegation from the All India Anganwadi Workers' Committee to discuss the challenges they faced, the former chief described Anganwadi workers and helpers as the backbone of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme, as they who tirelessly serve women and children by combating hunger and malnutrition, as well as providing pre-primary education.
, he said, they served as frontline workers at great personal risk, going above and beyond their duties.
"Despite their hard work to develop the nation, Anganwadi workers and helpers unfortunately continue to struggle with inadequate pay, working conditions and a lack of ," he noted in his letter dated 26 March.
Gandhi said one of the most urgent issues raised by the delegation was the non-payment of gratuity.
"I am sure you will agree that workers who serve with commitment for decades should get adequate retirement benefits," he said.
Gandhi said Anganwadi workers and helpers' dedication and contribution deserved both recognition and respect, and their grievances must be heard and redressed.
"Therefore, I request you to take three steps: firstly, significantly increase the central component of their honorariums; secondly, to provide retiring workers and helpers gratuity; and thirdly, lay out a path to progressively improve their working conditions and social security," he said.
The Congress leader said these steps would not only comply with the Supreme Court judgement and ensure the anganwadi workers’ earnings matched their contributions, but would also show the nation's gratitude to the hard-working Anganwadi workers and helpers.
