“We get not more than Rs 45 a day for all our efforts… even a labourer is able to earn a better living,” said Sukhvinder Kaur, an anganwadi worker in Valtoha block. While the Central government does not pay them more than Rs 1,000, the contribution of the state government was merely Rs 400 per month, she said, adding, “This comes to mere Rs 1,400, which is hardly a decent sum considering the inflation.”

Veer Kaur, another anganwadi worker, said their duties included keeping record of pregnancies, birth of children, preparing and distributing food among expecting mothers, looking after newborns and infants and taking care of their vaccination.

“The government expects us to give best care to women and children, but forgets to provide us the facilities needed for it,” she said. Rajvinder Kaur, another worker, chimed in, “Anganwadi centres here lack even an earthen stove and fuel to prepare the feed. We have to contribute from our pockets to buy the fuel. This leaves us with very little money to run our families,” she said.

Bhupinder Kaur, a supervisor, said finding a room for the feed was another major problem. “No one was willing to give us a room on rent for the paltry sum that the government gives for the purpose,” she said.

“Besides preparing and distributing the feed, it is also our duty to guard it, as we are held accountable if anything goes missing,” said Kulwant Kaur.