Sri Vijaya Puram, July 14: As per the call given by the All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers & Helpers, 10th July, 2026 was observed as Black Day by Anganwadi Workers & Helpers all over the country to protest against the indifferent attitude of the Central and State Governments towards the long pending demands of the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers. In Andaman & Nicobar Islands, hundreds of Anganwadi Workers & Anganwadi Helpers who are members of the A & N Anganwadi Workers & Helpers Union (CITU) participated in the Black Day protest, by wearing black badges during duty hours on 10th July, 2026.
A Memorandum containing 19 demands, addressed to the Hon’ble Minister for Women & Child Development, Government of India was handed over to the Secretary (Social Welfare), A & N Administration for onwards transmission to the Hon’ble Minister. The demands highlighted during the Black Day protest was 1.Regularize Anganwadi workers and helpers as Grade III and Grade IV government employees, 2. Pending regularization, implement the recommendations of the 45th Indian Labour Conference by ensuring a monthly minimum wage of ₹41,000 for workers and ₹35,000 for helpers, along with a minimum monthly pension of ₹18,000, 3. Enact a law guaranteeing Right to Early Childhood Care, Education, and Development (ECCED) for children aged three to six years. Withdraw the NEP 2020, 4. Immediately implement the Supreme Court’s order regarding gratuity; there should be no age limit for retirement until a pension is provided, 5. Withdraw the four Labour Codes. Bring Anganwadi employees under the ambit of labour laws, 6. Withdraw the mandatory requirements for FRS (Facial Recognition System) and e-KYC. Ensure that the digitization of the scheme is not used for targeting or surveillance, 7. Provide high-quality tablets with data packs for digital work. Stop harassing workers in the name of the ‘Poshan Tracker’ app. Anganwadi workers and helpers must be reimbursed for all actual expenses related to smartphones, data, and maintenance, 8. Anganwadi workers and helpers shall not be assigned any non-ICDS work. They should not be tasked with BLO duties, SIR and other various surveys, etc., 9. Ensure uniform service rules for Anganwadi workers/helpers across the country, including a 10% annual increment, paid medical leave, summer holidays, and winter holidays where necessary, 10.Provide Anganwadi centers with clean drinking water, adequate infrastructure, gas connections, gas stoves, utensils, and modern kitchen equipment such as pressure cookers, electric roti makers, idli makers, etc., 11. Increase the rent for centers operating in rented premises to match market rates. …up to a minimum of ₹15,000 in metropolitan cities, ₹10,000 in urban areas, and ₹5,000 in rural areas; Anganwadi centers under ICDS projects that are classified under the rural category but are actually located in urban areas should be paid rent equivalent to that of centers in urban projects, 12. Convert all Anganwadis into Anganwadi-cum-creches to ensure safe spaces with proper infrastructure for all children under the age of 3, 13. Provide uniforms, books and toys to children aged 3–6 years at Anganwadi centers.
Geeta Devi, President and R. Anbukkarsi, General Secretary of A & N Anganwadi Workers & Helpers Union (CITU) greeted the Anganwadi Workers & Helpers in the islands for participating in the Black Day programme in a massive way.