Overview
- Coordinated demonstrations took place on July 10 in states including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Assam as part of an All‑India ‘Black Day’ called by unions such as CITU.
- Across protests workers demanded a large minimum monthly wage, with Andhra Pradesh unions calling for ₹26,000, plus statutory social security like pension, provident fund, gratuity and ESI.
- A core demand is formal regularisation of anganwadi workers and helpers as government employees, including promotion pathways such as elevation to Mukhya Sevika and an end to irregular appointments.
- Protesters criticised mandatory digital systems — including Poshan Tracker, Nava Chetana and FRS/e‑KYC — saying these apps add unpaid work and require phones and data the state has not supplied.
- The strike builds on long‑running grievances: honoraria unchanged since 2018–19, unfulfilled court and labour conference recommendations, local problems like flood‑damaged centres and unpaid travel costs, and a risk that NEP 2020 shifts pre‑primary children away from anganwadis, which could reshape negotiations and service delivery.