Indore (Madhya Pradesh): At a time when the unemployment rate is very high, the women and child welfare department is all set to recruit 10,000, CDPOs, anganwadi workers, anganwadi helpers and mini-anganwadi workers in the state.
A WCD report also informed that 2,500 vacancies have to be filled up in the city. There are over a thousand anganwadis in the city of which around 857 are being run in pre-schools.
“As the number of CDPOs, anganwadi workers, anganwadi helpers, and mini-anganwadi workers are limited, the staff appointed to the pre-schools are expected to help out in the daily chores of the anganwadis,” said Rajkumari Goyal, anganwadi worker.
The report mentions that in 2022, only 1 CDPO, 2 anganwadi workers, 4 mini-anganwadi workers were recruited even though the vacancies ran into thousands. There has been no recruitment for the position of anganwadi helper in the last two years, and the department has started appointing anganwadi helpers on contract.
“The main hindrance to the recruitment procedure is lack of interest among the applicants to become anganwadi workers or helpers. Many want to become CDPOs, but they often do not have the necessary qualifications. As a result, the department has eased the eligibility criteria,” said an anganwadi worker who did not want to the quoted.
Vacancies to be announced soon
The vacancies of CDPOs are likely to be announced on April 28, while the vacancies for anganwadi workers will be out in the first week of May.
Officials turning down jobs
Since the beginning of this year, anganwadi workers along with helpers and CDPOs have been protesting against the department over salaries and promotions. The strike has resulted in many employees resigning and searching for better opportunities. Goyal informed Free Press that the number of anganwadi workers is declining as people have now started resigning.
Recruitments made last year
Position
Number of recruitments made
CDPO
01
Anganwadi worker
02
Anganwadi helper
00
Mini-Anganwadi worker
04
The data from administrative report of women and child development department
