State govt should pay sufficient wages to Anganwadi workers, helpers as per Gujarat HC directive: Amit Chavda

Chavda also demanded that new Anganwadi centres be opened in proportion to the population of the state.

Addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad, Chavda along with former minister and senior Congress leader Jay Narayan Vyas criticised the BJP-led Gujarat government for allegedly failing in eliminating malnutrition in the state despite the fact that it is in power for the past three decades.

Chavda said the Anganwadi centres are functioning through Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme and these Anganwadi centres can be helpful in eliminating malnutrition.

Referring to a recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS), Chavda said that out of the total 10 most malnourished districts in the country, five are from Gujarat.

“Despite spending crores of rupees, it is because of the insensitivity and failure of the state government that Gujarat is facing (this) embarrassment,” Chavda alleged.

The Congress president said that on the one hand, Gujarat does not have Anganwadi centres proportionate to its population and on the other hand, there are many centres which are functioning from rented buildings and lack even basic amenities.

Chavda said that even the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has expressed concerns regarding the ICDS scheme in Gujarat.

He alleged that even after the recent HC direction to pay sufficient wages to Anganwadi workers and helpers, Gujarat government is not serious over the issue.

“We demand from the Gujarat government to implement the HC order and to accept the demands of Anganwadi workers. Also, Anganwadi centres should be opened in proportion to the population (of the state),” Chavda said.

Quoting Vyas, a party release stated that the Anganwadi workers “are very disturbed and they are being put into a number of works and programmes by the government”. “These women (Anganwadi workers) can give sufficient time to children only if the government exempts them from other works,” the release stated. Spokesperson of Gujarat government and health minister Rushikesh Patel could not be reached for his comments on the Congress allegations.