Hundreds of Anganwadi workers and helpers, under the banner of Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh and Anganwadi Workers Union, gathered near the Morahabadi Maidan in Ranchi. 

 On November 3, the workers arrived from various regions of the state, including the districts of Ramgarh, Dhanbad and Bokaro.Their march to the main road was covered by policemen. Jholo Manjhi, the state leader of the Anganwadi workers union, spoke to the media. 

“We have been demanding Rs. 25000 monthly salary for the workers for a long time, but the government has not been responding. We want the mini Anganwadi workers to be paid the same pay for the same work!” she said. 

Anganwadi workers, helpers, and mini-Anganwadi workers collectively made their demands to the government in the presence of the media. 

Manjhi also mentioned, “There is an urgent need to make Anganwadi helpers as government employees. Also we demand to fill up vacancies as many posts have been left empty after the retirement of workers. 

We also want a sum of Rs 5,00,000 as a post-retirement fund/pension; all Anganwadi workers retire from their jobs empty-handed after years of service.” 

They said, “We have left our kids alone at home, our crops unattended, our cattle neglected for this protest. We won’t leave until our demands are met. We want to be recognised as government employees”.