Fadnavis informed the Assembly that the Government had taken the decision to increase the honorarium of anganwadi workers on February 23 which would be paid to the workers this month.
Giving in to pressure from the Opposition and ally Shiv Sena, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced revoking the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA), which was invoked on March 15 against strikes by anganwadi workers.
At the beginning of the Assembly on Thursday, Fadnavis made a statement to announce the BJP-led government's decision to revoke MESMA. He said, "Anganwadi workers, their assistants and mini-Anganwadi workers together are a force of over 1.99 lakh. In addition to providing nutritional food and a supplementary diet to neo-natal mothers, women, and children, the workers also provide services like vaccination and care of newborns and mothers."
Recalling the strike by anganwadi workers from September 11 to October 19, 2017, Fadnavis said, "There were problems in providing services during the strike and a lawyer had moved the High Court against the Government."
He said at the time the government could not prevent the strike as MESMA had lapsed during the period and could not be invoked. Saying that the anganwadi workers provide essential services, Fadnavis justified the Act's invocation stating, "MESMA can be invoked against all those who provide essential services like gas supply, water supply, power supply and transport." Pointing out the significance of MESMA, the CM noted that anganwadi workers had already announced another strike from March 14, which would create problems in providing essential services. He said that the Supreme Court had directed that nutritional food has to be provided to malnourished children at least for 300 days in a year and there would be a problem if these workers go on strike.
Soon after the announcement, Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP tried to claim credit for the same.
Fadnavis informed the Assembly that the Government had taken the decision to increase the honorarium of anganwadi workers on February 23 which would be paid to the workers this month.
What is MESMA?
- The Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act empowers authorities to take strong action, like detention, against the workers of services covered under the legislation, if they go on strike.
- All offences covered under the Act are non-bailable, according to its provisions.
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