Issue raised in Lok Sabha also

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tabled a privilege motion against Chief Minister Siddharamaiah in the Legislative Assembly this morning following the claims made by the CM that there was a severe shortfall of Centre’s assistance to fulfil the demands of Anganawadi workers.

Thousands of Anganawadi workers are continuing their protest at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru demanding a raise in their salary and other demands. Their all-day and all-night protest entered the fourth day today.

The issue figured in the Lok Sabha too today with Union Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar accusing the Congress government in the State of not utilising the Centre’s grants properly. He said that Rs. 150 crore was released by the Centre that was not utilised.

Congress leader in Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjuna Kharge asked Ananth Kumar not to mislead the Parliament over the grants.

In the Legislative Assembly yesterday, the CM had claimed that there was a shortfall in the Centre’s grants. Opposing this statement, Leader of Opposition Jagadish Shettar moved the privilege motion today. He alleged that Siddharamaiah had provided wrong information to the Assembly regarding  Centre’s grants.

As BJP and JD(S) have demanded that the government concede Anganawadi workers’ demand and fix their wage at minimum Rs. 10,000 per month, treasury benches led by the CM accused the Centre of reducing its share in the Centrally-sponsored programmes and putting the burden on the  State government.

Shettar said their demand is for a minimum of Rs. 10,000 and in several neighbouring States wage is fixed in the range of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 per month.

Currently, Anganawadi workers in Karnataka are paid Rs. 6,000 and helpers are paid Rs. 3,000. In the recent budget, CM Siddharamaiah announced a hike of Rs. 1,000 for Anganawadi workers and Rs. 500 for helpers.

Meanwhile, the protest by Anganawadi workers continued with women, along with their children, sleeping on the roads around Freedom Park and staging overnight protests. Though the State Government has assured the Anganawadi representatives of a meeting on April 19, the workers have refused to call off the strike, saying they have been duped twice by the assurances of the CM and they would not do it again.