Women and Child Development department to begin agitation from Feb 12

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Gazetted officers, field officers, employees, as well as anganwadi workers and helpers of the state Women and Child Development (WCD) Department have begun preparations for an agitation to draw the government’s attention to their long-pending demands.

Along with officers’ associations, various employees’ unions will launch a statewide work stoppage agitation from February 12. Office-bearers of the officers’ associations in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar told that if the government fails to take a positive decision in time, the agitation will be intensified. The agitation has been called mainly to press for demands such as establishing an independent Women and Child Development mechanism within local self-governing bodies.

The Women and Child Development Department implements the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme in rural and urban areas, along with various welfare schemes for women. The department also handles sensitive responsibilities such as care and protection of children in need, support for women affected by violence, destitute women, women exploited in prostitution, enforcement of the dowry prohibition, and prevention of child marriage.

On Tuesday, a memorandum was submitted to district collector Deelip Swami. Representatives of the gazetted officers’ association of the Women and Child Development Department, supervisors, protection officers, probation officers, clerical staff unions, and anganwadi employees’ organisations were present on the occasion.

Key demands

-- Making the staffing pattern of departmental posts comprehensive

--- Adequate manpower for various schemes

--- Amendments to service recruitment rules

---- Granting gazetted status to the post of district probation officer

---- Merger of supervisor and chief sevika cadres and removal of pay disparity

---- Disposal of promotion cases within a fixed time frame

--- Regular employee status to anganwadi workers and a separate service cadre

--- Removal of establishment- and service-related obstacles

-------- Increased participation of officers and employees in policy making