Tripura Anganwadi Workers stage sit-in protest; Demand regularization & fair wages

The simmering discontent of Tripura’s Anganwadi workers and helpers spilled onto the streets on Sunday as hundreds gathered at Paradise Chowmuhani in Agartala for a mass sit-in protest. 

Organized by the Tripura Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Union, the demonstration centered on an eight-point charter of demands, with regularization and fair wages topping the list.

Protesters demanded that all Anganwadi workers and helpers be brought under permanent employment. They called for a minimum monthly salary of Rs 41,000 for workers and Rs 35,000 for helpers, alongside gratuity and pension benefits. Speakers at the rally accused the government of exploiting their services for years while denying them basic entitlements.

The union also insisted that no Anganwadi centre in the state should be shut down, stressing that children’s health, nutrition, and early education programs must continue to be delivered through these grassroots institutions.

The protest carried a clear warning: if the government fails to act swiftly, the movement will escalate. “We have been patient long enough. If our demands are ignored, we will launch a larger struggle,” declared one union leader.

Sunday’s sit-in has reignited debate over the treatment of Anganwadi staff, who form the backbone of child welfare programs in Tripura. While the workers’ demands highlight long-standing grievances, the government now faces mounting pressure to respond before the agitation grows louder.