Body required to study reasonable pay for Anganwadi workers: Parliamentary panel

A parliamentary panel has asked the Women and Child Development Ministry to set up a suitable body to look at the wages of Anganwadi workers by discussing with state governments and the ministry so that a “reasonable” salary is given to them.

The panel has also pointed at vacancies in the Anganwadi centres with “concern”.

The Rajya Sabha Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, in a report, said that the body could look at wages of Anganwadi workers at both the Centre and State levels so that it can recommend a reasonable base salary, with suitable increments.

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“The Committee recommends that the Ministry make a thorough study through NIPCCD on the status and challenges being faced by AWCs, Anganwadi workers, and the States, based on which suitable follow-up measures can be planned,” the panel said.

The ministry has said that Anganwadi workers and helpers are honorary workers who are paid monthly honoraria by the Centre, with most states/UTs giving monetary incentives to these workers out of their own resources. Anganwadi workers at bigger Anganwadi centres are paid Rs 4,500 per month by the Centre, while those at smaller centres drawing Rs 3500 monthly, the WCD ministry said. Anganwadi helpers are paid Rs 2250 monthly.

“In addition to the honorarium to AWWs/AWHs, Anganwadi workers are also eligible for an incentive of Rs 500 per month for feeding of beneficiary data on the Poshan Tracker, conducting home visits counselling and weighing and measuring of children,” the ministry said. Helpers are also eligible for a “performance-linked incentive” of Rs 250 per month for facilitating proper maintenance of the anganwadis, the ministry said.

The panel has also pointed out vacancies at Anganwadis at all levels. “...the Committee is of the view that since the overall onus of successful and effective implementation of the Scheme lies with the States, it is incumbent upon them to address such vacancy gaps. The Committee recommends that the ministry may write to each of the States where the vacancy positions are high for taking suitable measures to ensure that vacancies are filled up at the earliest,” the panel said.