J&K govt sanctions over 3,300 Anganwadi centres

Srinagar, Oct 15: Jammu and Kashmir government has sanctioned over 3,300 additional Anganwadi centres in the state and approved more than 6,000 posts of workers and helpers for such centres.

The sanction was accorded by the state Cabinet which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti yesterday, an official spokesman said today.

The Cabinet has accorded sanction to the setting up of 3,361 additional Anganwadi centers/Anganwadi-on-demand under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) on adhoc basis in the State Mission Directorate, the spokesman said.

He said the Cabinet approved engagement of 3,361 Anganwadi workers and 3,361 Anganwadi helpers as honorary workers in these centers.

The Cabinet also approved creation of 134 posts of supervisors for these additional Anganwadi centers (AWCs) - one supervisor for 25 Anganwadi centers each - in the pay band of Rs 5,200-20,200 with GP of Rs 2,400, the spokesman said.

In another decision, the Cabinet in-principle approved creation of a corporation, under the name and style Human Resource Supply and Service Corporation J-K to regulate the supply of labour force in accordance with the demand in various government departments, the spokesman said.

He said there are roughly 61,000 people working in different capacities - either as daily-rated workers, work charge employees, casual labourers or seasonal labours - in various departments who have been engaged without following any defined criteria.

Majority of these workers are poor and do not possess the requisite academic or technical qualifications.

However, many of them are reported to be skilled to handle department-specific tasks, he said.

With a view to utilising their services optimally besides addressing their issue of wage payment, the corporation is being created.

The corporation will complete the skill profiling of these workers and deploy them as per the requisition made by various departments, the spokesman said.

PTI