MARGAO: Anganwadi and balwadi administrators in Salcete taluka are up in arms as the government has not paid them rent or salaries for the past seven months. Frustrated by the delay, these administrators visited the office of the Directorate of Women and Child Development (WCD) to demand the immediate release of their payments.
They emphasised that they have at times been forced to dip into their own pockets to sustain the centres they run but lamented that they lack the financial capacity to continue doing so. Their primary concern is the rent owed to the owners of the balwadi premises, who may ask them to vacate if they do not receive payment from the government. A similar situation occurred last year.
The operators pointed out that when citizens fail to pay their electricity or water bills on time, the government swiftly disconnects their supply. However, when it comes to compensating anganwadi and balwadi operators, the government often delays payments for months, causing them great financial stress. They urged the government to release rent payments at least every few months to prevent disputes with property owners.
A representative for the administrators stated that while many are afraid to speak out, he was only stating facts and emphasised the urgent need for government assistance to continue their work.
He expressed deep frustration, noting that they have not received any payment from the government since February of this year, marking eight months without compensation. He also highlighted the challenges faced during the Ganesh festival season when they did not receive their fees, making it extremely difficult to procure the resources needed to run their centres.
When asked about the reason they had been given for the delay, they said that the file had been sent to the WCD Director at the Panjim head office for clearance. Officials at the Salcete WCD office assured media personnel that payments would be disbursed within a week.
They attributed the delay to technical issues but promised that future payments would be made on time.
