HC stays Anganwari workers selection

 A division bench of the High Court today stayed the selection of an Anganwari worker of Manazrakh Pulwama who according to the appellants counsel had lesser merit than the Subaya Jan.According to Bashir Ahmad Bashir, senior lawyer and the counsel for Subaya Jan, CDPO Pulwama had notified the posts of Anganwari workers in Pulwma and one of the posts was meant for Manazrakh punch constituency 36.Three candidates applied for the post including Tahira Nazir, Suraya and Subaya Jan. Though Subaya had the highest merit and Suraya was next to her yet the officials for no reson selcted the lowest merit holder Tahira Nazir.Against this selection both the candidates Suraya and Subaya filed separate petitions before the High Court but during the pendency of the matter, the official respondents cancelled the selection of Tahira Nazir but mischievously instead of selecting the highest remaining merit holder Subaya Jan selected the lowest merit holder Suraya again in violation of rules.

When Subya filed petition to challenge the selection list, the official respondents file reply before the writ court saying Manazrakh has been divided into three wards hence Subaya could not be selected and writ petition was dismissed b the court.However, Subaya challenged the writ court judgment and when appeal cam eto be considered today the appellant counsel Bashir Ahmad Bashir argued that first of all any change made to the advertisement notice of any kind after its publication or after interview is not permissible under law hence the division of punch constituency of Manazrakh having been made after the advertisement notice being illegal same is not sustainable. The division bench after hearing the arguments made by Bashir, issued the notice and in the mean time directed the selection of Suraya

Women Anganwari Workers not paid their Wages for 9 Months

Seems like it is not only the low rung public employees, thousands  of women Anganwari workers working in centres across valley have also not received their salaries for last nine months, with the concerned social welfare department citing the reason of inadequate budget for non-payment of the salaries.

Interestingly, the payment of salaries to the workers/ supervisors under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) is being funded by the central government. Under this scheme, all the social welfare departments were directed to increase the salaries of field workers operating in various centers from Rs 2100  per month to Rs 3600  per month with effect from April 2011.

However, in  Jammu and Kashmir, thousands of Anganwari workers were paid  the hiked salary for just the month of April , and have been working wage- less since then.

Protesting against the indifference of state authorities towards their concerns, Parveena, Head , Anganwari Helpers and Workers Association told Kashmir Times that they will go on an indefinite strike if the department further delays the payment of salaries.

Women Anganwari workers from various districts of the valley protested against the indifference of government towards their problems and threatened to go on an indefinite strike, if they are not paid their pending wages.

“We work all the year, for providing meals and nutrition to the children from poor families. However when it comes to paying us our due wages, this department always shies away from the same. We have even approached Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo. We have only got assurances from them. We cannot work any further as we have families to feed too,” Nuzhat, an Anganwari worker said.

The workers said that paying the pre-revised salaries to them would be sheer injustice as the workers elsewhere in the country are getting the salaries according to newly revised rates.

“Non-payment of dues has now become a routine with us. Usually, we are paid our wages after 2-3 months with the department citing the unavailability of funds as the reason every time. This certainly seems to be the mishandling of the affairs by the state management, because central agencies funding our salaries have announced payment of our hiked salaries on time,” Parveena told News Agency.

When contacted, director social welfare department, Hilal Ahmad Parray  said  the decks for payment of hiked salaries have been cleared and that as of now the department is ready to pay the salaries to its workers as per old schedule.

“We currently do not have sufficient funds for payment of revised salaries. As soon as we get the funds, we shall pay them as arrears to the workers. We have written to general administration department regarding that. Meanwhile, the payment of salaries as per old schedule is already being done,” he added.