Announcement of Upgrading of 2 lakh anganwadi centres is a hoax
No increase in Budget allocation for ‘Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0’
(earlier Umbrella ICDS Scheme) in Budget 2022-23
In a year India has fallen from number 94 to 101 in the Global Hunger Index Modi Government totally neglected the malnourished children as well as the frontline workers of the country in the Budget 2022-23.
The Budget allocation for ‘Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0’ (Earlier Umbrella ICDS Scheme) in Budget 2022-23 is Rs.20263.07Crores whereas the Budget allocation last year was Rs.20,105 Cr. If we take into account the inflation there is actual reduction in the budget.
In her budget speech, the Finance Minister of India Smt Nirmala Sitaraman made an announcement that her government will upgrade two lakh anganwadis “that have better infrastructure and audio-visual aids, powered by clean energy and providing improved environment for early child development.” We the anganwadi workers and helpers of the country who run the anganwadi centres which are not even having basic infrastructure like drinking water and toilets, despite years of demand by the federation, would like to ask the finance minster what magic she is having to make better infrastructure for two lakh anganwadi centres with no financial allocation.
As reported in the media, the so called ‘saksham’ anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 scheme renamed in the last budget speech is yet to finalise its guidelines! This is at a time when the malnutrition and hunger in India is at alarming levels. It is shocking that as per the ministry data, between March 2016 and March 2021, beneficiaries receiving Supplementary Nutrition fell by 19% from 102 million to 83.2 million. For children, it fell from 82.9 million to 67.5 million. At the same time, the number of children aged six months to six years was estimated to increase by 7.6%. During the same period, the number of children, three to six years, receiving pre-school education (PSE) declined by 34% from 35 million to 23 million. (Courtesy:India Spend).
It is also shocking that the food subsidy payable to FCI as per NFS Act has been cut down by 30% (Cut of Rs.65,000Cr) which will adversely affect the ICDS. This Budget has also cut down the budget allocation for the Mid Day Meal Scheme by Rs.1267 Cr. This cut in food allocation and subsidies come when the income of 84% families has decreased.
While giving a hollow speech on “Recognizing the importance of Nari Shakti as the harbinger of our bright future and for women-led development during the AmritKaal” the finance minister has totally neglected the twenty six lakh anganwadi workers and helpers and other scheme workers including the ASHA workers and Mid Day Meal workers who are the “Nari Shakti’ fought the Covid and malnutrition of the country. There is no increase in their remuneration in the budget not to mention the minimum wages or pension.
In spite of the big struggles by the peasantry and the working class, including the historic Kisan Struggle, Modi government is again proving to be acting as the agents of the Corporates continuing the policies of selling the national assets and giving tax concessions to the corporate and going ahead with anti labour codes.
AIFAWH call upon all the anganwadi workers and helpers to protest against the total neglect of the anganwadi workers and helpers and the malnourished children in the central budget 2022-23. AIFAWH calls upon all the scheme workers to intensify the struggles for recognition as workers, minimum wages and pension as well as for the rights of the children and the people for nutrition, health and education. AIFAWH also call upon the workers to organise protests including mass deputation/ gherao of NDA MPs and gear upto the countrywide general strike on 28-29 March 2022.
Issued by
R. Sindhu
General Secretary
