Anganwadi, Asha workers across Karnataka in limbo

Suma (name changed), an anganwadi worker in Hampi, hasn't received her honorarium since February this year. She has also not received eggs under the state government's nutrition programme. Notwithstanding the salary status, she has to pay from her pocket to purchase eggs.

Suma is not alone. As many as 1.35 lakh anganwadi workers across Karnataka are facing uncertainty on their remuneration. Thousands of them end up paying for eggs or buying eggs on credit as they shoulder the responsibility of providing nutritious food to children.

Anganwadi workers in four districts have also been paying rent for anganwadi buildings as both Union and state governments have not released funds.

Similarly, 40,000-plus Asha workers, who have been tasked with reducing infant mortality and maternal mortality rate and implementing various health schemes, have not received their honorarium and performance-based incentive for the last two to four months. The period changes from district to district.

In the last financial year too, the salary of these front-line workers was delayed twice by at least two to four months. And each time, the reason for the delay varied, including the model code of conduct for Assembly elections and shifting of salary crediting to the Khajane-II (K2) server.

Since April this year, neither Asha workers nor anganwadi workers have received their salary.

Officials of the Women & Child Development Department and Health & Family Welfare concede there has been a delay. They blame the Union government, which is delaying the payment as it is streamlining the direct-to-benefit transfer and shifting to the new payment server. The process started in January.

Health & Family Welfare Commissioner Randeep D said due to the model code of conduct and shifting of payment server, there was a delay in payment for two months. "We have already transferred the amount to respective districts, and in two-three days, the workers should get their dues. Hold us accountable if the payment is delayed after June," he said.

"As a single mother, it becomes very difficult to run the house without timely payment," said Suma. She said that on many occasions they were supplied with rotten eggs, but no action was taken when they complained to the higher officials.

Based on their experience, an anganwadi worker gets Rs 11,000 to Rs 13,000 as monthly remuneration.

Rotten eggs

Anganwadi workers across the state are dealing with rotten eggs being supplied by the contractors. The Karnataka Rajya Anganwadi Karyakarteyara Mathu Sahayakiyara Federation has been demanding the state government to decentralise the process and allow committees at the anganwadi level to purchase eggs.

Chandrika (name changed) of Bidar has been spending Rs 3,000 from her salary to pay the rent of the anganwadi building for over a year now. “We have made several requests to the Bidar Women and Child Welfare Department deputy director to clear the bills. He is also helpless as he has not received funds from the government," she said.

Nagalakshmi, Karnataka State Composite ASHA Workers' Association state secretary, said Asha workers' remuneration consists of two components, a fixed honorarium of Rs 5,000 from the state government and a second performance-based incentive (PBI) from the central government, which is between Rs 4,000 and Rs 6,000 based on the target achieved.

"Asha workers have not received the state component for the last two months and PBI for four months," she said.

Randeep said the process is being streamlined and by the 10th of every month, wages will be directly credited into Asha workers' accounts.

Anuradha K N, Women and Child Development Department Director, said the delay in clearing the rent of buildings was due to mapping the account of each implementing officer at the state, district and taluk level to prevent pilferage of funds. "While the mapping of accounts has been completed, there is a delay in the release of funds from the Centre due to some technical issues," she said.

If there are issues related to egg supply, the district administration has the power to quash the tender and call for new suppliers, she added.

Public health practitioner Dr Sylvia Karpagam said prolonged uncertainty in the payment of salaries could not only "demolish the system" but also make it difficult for the government to retain trained hands.