CHENNAI: Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator Seeman on Friday demanded that anganwadi workers be declared government employees and provided with fair wages and a guaranteed pension. He accused the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government of failing to honour its election promises and of suppressing workers' protests across Tamil Nadu.

In a statement, Seeman said anganwadi workers, many of whom have served for over a decade, have been waging a sustained struggle for recognition as government employees. He alleged that instead of addressing their legitimate demands, the State government had shown indifference and resorted to police action against protesting women workers, which he described as undemocratic and authoritarian.

Tamil Nadu has 54,439 anganwadi centres with over one lakh workers and helpers, who also play a crucial role in implementing State and Union government schemes, including census-related work, voter verification and election duties. Despite decades of service, anganwadi workers continue to be treated as scheme workers and are paid only between Rs 3,000 and Rs 11,000 per month, without regular pay scales, pension or other service benefits, he said, terming it a clear case of labour exploitation.

Seeman recalled assurances given by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2016 and by Chief Minister MK Stalin during the 2021 Assembly elections to regularise anganwadi workers, and questioned the delay in fulfilling those commitments.

He urged the State government to immediately regularise anganwadi workers and helpers, bring them under the guaranteed pension scheme, fill all vacant posts, grant promotions after 10 years of service, provide summer vacations for centres and construct modern anganwadi buildings. Seeman said the NTK would continue to stand with anganwadi workers in their struggle for livelihood and dignity.