Pune: In lieu of the guidelines mentioned by the Central government, NGOs working with the State Family Welfare Bureau (SFWB) will not get any funds henceforth, clarified the bureau on Saturday.

SFWB had issued a letter in this regard in March. Recently, the workers with NGOs, which implement schemes by the SFWB, had organised a protest to include them as State government employees under the SFWB. 

In a letter issued by the State Health Department, it notified that the department cannot include the employees working with these NGOs as employees of the State government. Hence, the benefits of State government employees cannot be provided to them.

The letter also stated that there are 29 NGOs and five Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) addressed through the letter. The workers will be given grants for the salary and other benefits will not be extended to them.

Earlier this year in the month of May, Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Kutumb Kalyan Karmachari Sanghatana (ABKKKS) for NGOs working with the SFWB staged a one-day protest against blocking of funds to volunteers who have been working in various State-run projects.

Pradeep Dixit, President of ABKKKS, said those with the SFWB schemes with NGOs are getting paid very less.
“These workers help the common people in availing these schemes. And they are paid peanuts. Only 170 such workers are there with the NGOs, as many other NGOs have been shut due to slashed funds. In such scenarios, we are giving services at minimal salaries,” said Dixit.