Anganwadi workers in Ludhiana await funds to pay rent for workspace

Workers from 1,700 anganwadi centers in Ludhiana district have not received funds for the last five months to pay rent for their workspace. Over 2,400 Anganwadi workers and helpers in the district have been contacting the child development project officers of their blocks daily to get an update on the status of funds.

Since the Covid-19 outbreak, the workers have been struggling as owners have asked them to either pay or vacate the space.

At every Anganwadi center, there are one or two rooms, taken up to accommodate children below six years and the women and child development department is providing Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 for rent. The funds are transferred to the accounts of workers of the Anganwadi center.

Anganwadi centers are operational in 16 blocks of the district under the Government of India scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).

Punjab Anganwadi Mulazam Union general secretary, Subhash Rani, said, “A large number of Anganwadi centers are running in rooms that have been taken on rent, and we are awaiting funds for the last five months to pay the owners. Due to Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown imposed in March, all anganwadi centers were closed and workers were asked to deliver dry ration to the homes of the children. I contacted officials of the Women and child development department today and they confirmed that funds to two blocks, Urban -3 and Rural 1, have been transferred and the other blocks will also get it within this week.”

Gul Bahar Singh, district programme officer, Ludhiana, said, “Whenever we receive the demand from centers, the fund is released. Ministerial staff of the district treasury branch was on strike, and the funds may not have not been transferred, but there is no delay from our side.”