ANGANWADI employees have been waging struggles for better service conditions and remuneration for over 35 years. Their vital role during the pandemic was recognised, leading to demands for monetary relief. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government initially agreed to increase their honorarium to Rs 15,000 for workers and Rs 10,000 for helpers, but the proposal stalled when the government changed due to a split in Shiv Sena. After the Maha Yuti government took over, anganwadi employees renewed their demands for a higher honorarium, the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on gratuity, and monthly pensions for retired workers.

The first joint indefinite strike was initiated in February 2023, starting on the 20th and lasting for nine days. As a result, a raise of Rs 1500 for workers and Rs 1000 for helpers was granted, with the commissioner of ICDS tasked with drafting a proposal for gratuity and a monthly pension. Following this increase, the honorarium for workers rose to Rs 10,000 and for helpers to Rs 5,500. Although this raise fell short of expectations, especially since it came after five years and the previous government had promised significantly more, but it was accepted in light of the government’s commitment to implement gratuity and a monthly pension.

However, as workers awaited the proposals for these benefits, no progress was made. Meanwhile, an announcement was made to raise the honorarium of ASHA workers by Rs 7,000, which ignited further protests for an increase in our honorarium and the fulfillment of the gratuity and pension promises. A notice for an indefinite strike was submitted, but the government completely ignored it. Consequently, the strike began on December 4 and lasted for 52 days. Throughout this period, the government consistently denied any further raises but pledged to address gratuity and to consider a contributory pension scheme.

In response, numerous district and state-level actions were organised by the Kriti Samiti, including a significant state-level rally in Nagpur during the winter session of the assembly and a two-day dharna at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, on January 3 and 4, 2024. The strike was ultimately suspended after the Women and Child Development minister assured us of a raise equivalent to the increase in ASHA workers' honorarium, along with the implementation of gratuity and the finalization of the monthly pension proposal. Some of our other demands were also met during the strike including the conversion of all mini anganwadis into main anganwadis, granting mini anganwadi workers the status of regular workers, agreeing to promote 10th pass helpers instead of requiring 12th pass qualification. It was also promised that pending cases for one-time retirement benefits would be resolved.

Workers waited over six months for the promised increases in honorarium, gratuity, and pension to be fulfilled. During this time, ASHA workers received a raise of Rs 5,000, strengthening anganwadi workers demand for an equivalent increase of at least Rs 5,000. Consequently, workers launched independent struggle on July 10, coinciding with the All India Demands Day for Anganwadi employees declared by the All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH). On July 10 and 11, nearly 10,000 anganwadi employees organised dharnas, demonstrations, and rallies across 20 districts, advocating for demands for increased honorarium, gratuity, and pension.

On August 21, a one-day token strike and joint rally were organised by the Maharashtra State Anganwadi Employees Kriti Samiti at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, attracting nearly 5,000 anganwadi workers from nearby districts. A delegation met with the commissioner of ICDS and the deputy secretary of WCD, who informed that the three proposals prepared by WCD were at various stages of review. Workers urged the government to expedite their finalisation for the upcoming cabinet meeting, emphasizing the urgency due to potential assembly elections. They assured us that the proposals would be processed within 15 days.

Although workers called off dharna, they maintained a non-cooperation stance regarding meetings, training, and report submissions, warning that if demands were not met within 15 days, they would initiate an indefinite hunger strike. When no action was taken, workers served notice for the hunger strike starting September 23 and announced district and project-level rasta roko and jail bharo agitations over the following 15 days, culminating in a notice for a one-day token strike and jail bharo agitation on September 25.

On September 1, a delegation from the Kriti Samiti attempted to meet chief minister Eknath Shinde in his hometown of Thane. After waiting nearly 13 hours, they finally met him at midnight to discuss demands and served him notice of upcoming district and state-level agitations. He promised to arrange an official meeting with the relevant ministers and secretaries, but despite two scheduled dates, the meeting did not occur and no solutions were reached.

In response, the Kriti Samiti intensified its agitation plan. From September 3 to 13, a series of district-level jail bharo agitations took place during the Ganesh festival in Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Nagpur, Wardha, Amaravati, Buldhana, Jalna, Nasik, and Satara, with over 6,000 anganwadi employees participating. It was decided that Pune, Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar would join a state-level jail bharo agitation in Mumbai on September 25.

The historic indefinite hunger strike began on September 23. The day before, heavy rains devastated the venue at Azad Maidan, but the morale of our activists remained high. 42 participants, including 38 anganwadi employees, started the hunger strike, with an additional 50 joining in a relay hunger strike for 24 hours. Nearly 1,000 employees showed their support.

A delegation went to Mantralay, but the chief minister, finance minister, and WCD minister were unavailable. The education minister, Deepak Kesarkar, met with workers but could not provide a satisfactory timeline for when demands would be addressed in the cabinet meeting. Consequently, workers continued their agitation.

That night, despite the downpour, all participants persisted in their hunger strike. A large police contingent attempted to evacuate the fasting anganwadi workers, but strong resistance from the Kriti Samiti and anganwadi employees forced the police to retreat, allowing them to remain overnight at Azad Maidan.

On September 24, WCD minister Aditi Tatkare convened a meeting in Mantralay attended by principal secretary Anoop Kumar Yadav, deputy secretary, commissioner of ICDS, and other senior officials. The minister prioritised the demand for raising the honorarium, promising to secure cabinet approval within 15 days. She also committed to advancing proposals for gratuity and pension.

Several other demands were addressed, including travel allowances for urban projects, service increments of 3 per cent, 4 per cent, and 5 per cent for employees after 10, 20, and 30 years of service, and compensation of Rs 10 lakhs and Rs 5 lakhs for accidental death and disablement while in service, extending these benefits to anganwadi employees.

While the meeting was somewhat satisfactory, no concrete commitments were provided in writing, prompting the workers to continue their agitation at Azad Maidan. However, due to the minister's firm assurance on the honorarium increase, the Kriti Samiti decided to shift from an indefinite hunger strike to an indefinite day-long dharna, resulting in end of the fasting employees hunger strike on the evening of the 24th.

On September 25, over 15,000 anganwadi employees gathered at Azad Maidan, coming from districts across the state, from nearby Thane and Palghar to remote Gadchiroli. The police presence quickly became overwhelmed. Workers demanded arrests, but with only four vans available, they could transport just 200 people before halting further action. Instead, they decided to confine everyone at Azad Maidan but struggled to enlist all workers by evening. Ultimately, they announced that everyone present was under arrest, acknowledging their inability to manage the situation.

On September 30, a cabinet meeting took place without the anganwadi issue on the agenda. Near the meeting's end, WCD minister raised the topic, stressing that anganwadi employees were on indefinite dharna and demanded a decision on the honorarium. Earlier, CITU members from Baramati had met MP Sunetra Pawar to urge finance minister Ajit Pawar for funding approval, and a delegation had also approached the chief minister to emphasize the urgency.

As a result, the cabinet agreed to raise the honorarium by Rs 5,000 for workers and Rs 3,000 for helpers, which the WCD minister announced to the media. However, since this decision was not reflected in the official agenda or meeting minutes, workers decided to continue dharna.

Workers continued their indefinite dharna until October 4. On that day, a meeting at Mantralay confirmed that the process for issuing the government order (GO) was complete, and the raises of Rs 5,000 for workers and Rs 3,000 for helpers would take effect from October 1. However, there was a catch: the raise would be split into two components. The first would be an honorarium of Rs 3,000 for workers and Rs 2,000 for helpers, to be paid immediately. The second would be an incentive for their normal daily work, amounting to Rs 2,000 for workers and Rs 1,000 for helpers. Alarmed by this distinction, the workers demanded clarity regarding the GO.

The officials urged us to call off our agitation. After discussing the situation back at Azad Maidan, the Kriti Samiti decided to suspend the agitation, considering the upcoming Navratri and Dusshera festivals, as well as the extreme heat of October.

On October 4, workers waited all day for the GO, which was issued at midnight. The government's intentions became clear with the harsh criteria for the incentive, which depend on the level of malnutrition (SAM and MAM) in each area, factors beyond the control of anganwadi workers. The criteria are unscientific, based on averages, meaning only those with below-average SAM and MAM cases would earn marks. To qualify for higher incentive amounts of 1600, 1800, or 2000, workers must meet 8, 9, or 10 criteria, which is unattainable for over 90 per cent of employees.

In a sense, this is a partial victory after two years of consistent militant struggle.