Anganwadis cry for attention

This is not all. There are over 300 anganwadis in the city, mostly in villages and labour colonies in and around Sectors. Regardless of the fact that most of them are from poor backgrounds themselves, anganwadi workers are made to pay the rent for anganwadi rooms on monthly basis from their own pocket, with the provision of re-imbursement later.

8220;The house owners cannot wait for months together. We have to pay from our own pocket to stay put with this job. No one is serious about dealing with this problem,8221; comments an anganwadi worker from one of the labour colonies, who pays Rs 120 a month on this account, and takes care of 40 children with a helper.

8220;The Centre has adopted a system of quarterly release of funds for the scheme, and it is disgusting that we have to beg for salaries every time,8221; lament other employees, pointing out that the entire ICDS staff, including the supervisors for anganwadis, get their salaries on a similar pattern.The condition is so bad sometimes that the Welfare Department has to cut a sorry figure before the electricity wing for failure to pay the bills of anganwadi rooms on time.

According to the director, UT Social Welfare Department, 8220;We know the drawbacks and have taken it up with the concerned wing at Centre8221;.