SCHEME-BASED WORKERS, THE STRUGGLE FOR AN IDENTITY

The central government employs millions of regular and contract workers who are recognised as government employees and are in the pay spectrum of the government.

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The government also employs several types of workers such as Anganwadi workers or AWWs (13,51,104 workers) and Anganwadi helpers or AWHs (9,22,522), Accredited Social Health Activists or ASHAs (10,52,322 workers), and Mid-Day-Meals workers or MDMWs (25,16,688) under The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme since 1975, the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) and the mid-day meals day scheme. Put together, around 60 million workers work in government schemes.

These schemes are those which carry out social and economic functions by taking care of children and lactating mothers and nutrition aspects. They are also a bridge between the community and the public health system, improving school enrolment and the nutritional health system.

Executor of early education: A day in the life of an Anganwadi worker

The reality of their existence

Though there has been much recognition of their work (by the Prime Minister and even the World Health Organization), these workers face hardship — they have been denied basic labour market rights such as workers’ status, minimum wages and social security. Three basic issues among others have affected scheme-based workers (SBW) — an identity as “workers” just like any government employee, minimum wages and social security. They have adopted three strategies to highlight their plight — strikes, legal action and social dialogue.