Mangaluru: Anganwadi workers in Dakshina Kannada are being forced to spend from their pockets to provide eggs to pregnant and lactating women and children as procurement costs rise, while delays in salary payments have added to their financial burden.The women and child development department provides about Rs 6 per egg to workers, with recent market rates fluctuating around Rs 7 to Rs 7.9, workers said they have had to pay for the difference in cost when prices are higher than the sanctioned rate.Tara Ballal, president, Dakshina Kannada District Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association, said the problem had persisted for four to five years, and was not limited to the district. “We are paying from our own pockets and there is no reimbursement,” she said.She also said workers had raised the issue in a memorandum submitted to chief minister DK Shivakumar on Friday, during his visit to Mangaluru, and sought revision of the egg allocation in line with market prices.Tara added that the delay had affected workers’ ability to meet household expenses, while they were also being assigned additional work, including SIR-related duties.Sheela, president of the Mangaluru City Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association, said workers were also facing delays in salary payments. “Salaries were now sometimes paid once in two or three months. Workers provide the full quota of 25 eggs despite the higher cost,” she said.An official from the department of women and child development said the current sanctioned rate was Rs 6 per egg, and said that price fluctuations created problems when market rates rose. “We have sent a proposal to our seniors in Bengaluru, and have sought an increase in the amount,” the official said.The official said eggs are procured by workers, with funds released in advance to the Bal Vikas Samiti account based on the number of beneficiaries. “Workers have to maintain bills, which are checked during supervisory audits. The amount is calculated at the fixed rate of Rs 6 per egg, and workers draw the money from the committee’s account for procurement; when rates decline, they balance it accordingly,” the official said.The official said salary delays were due to the time taken to secure financial department permission, with payments up to July having been cleared, while Aug payments pending and likely to be cleared soon.There are around 2,131 anganwadis in the district.Alwyn Pinto, president of the DK Kannada Egg Suppliers Association, said suppliers were also facing higher manufacturing, diesel and transportation costs. He said suppliers often extend credit to anganwadi workers, who procure eggs first and pay later, when funds are released, as many cannot afford the upfront cost.
