No money for egg purchase since 4 months

• Only 2 eggs per week for the children in Anganwadis

Manipal: Anganwadi workers who live on honorarium have not received their remuneration since a month and are stuck in an inevitable situation of buying eggs for the children, only twice in a week.

The problem has been created since, no funds have been sent by the department for the purchase of eggs since October. The workers working in connection to the schemes of the Anganwadi and the department with limited income, are facing unnecessary problem due to the funds not reaching them on time.

There are altogether 1,191 anganwadi centres in Udupi district of which, eggs are provided twice in a week for 24,311 children there. If in case the funds were delayed by a month or two, the workers at the Anganwadi would manage the situation. But, they are now facing the lack of funds since 4 months, causing much trouble to them.

Government’s egg costs only Rs 5!

The value of an egg in the market is Rs 5.50/ Rs 6. But the department gives it for Rs 5 and the additional cost has to be borne by the workers. Besides, the various children development programmes including Bhagya Laxmi have to be implemented by the workers itself. During this occasion, in case additional Xerox copies are printed, the workers have to bear the expense. All this has to be managed in the honorarium of Rs 8,000.

Honorarium is irregular

There are complaints that the honorarium for the workers of the Anganwadi is irregular. It is learnt that previously, 3 months of honorarium was pending, this time a month’s salary is pending.  The workers urge that if the honorarium is provided on time, it would indeed be helpful.

Why the problem?

Until September, the amount for the purchase of the eggs was coming directly into the personal accounts of the Anganwadi workers. Due to the government’s order, a joint account had to be opened between the president of the child development committee and the workers of the Anganwadi to which the amount was suppose to come. Besides, since the ‘Khazane 2’ software had been introduced on an experimental basis at Gadag and Udupi districts, the amount had to be deposited into the joint account through the software only. Since all have not opened the joint account, the problem has been created. But it is surprising to notice that those who have created the account in good time too have not received the amount.

“The amount has to be released through ‘Khazane 2’. Since many have not opened a joint account, the problem is being faced. The pending amount will be deposited in the account in one shot. The problem will be solved within a week. While applying for the schemes, only a single copy will suffice. Additional copies are not required,” said Gracy Gonsalves, deputy director, women and children development department