Lok Sabha Question No. 1797 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-27
Subject: Status of Permanent Employees to AWWs/Helpers
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: NEELAM SONKER

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1797 TO BE ANSWERED ON  27.07.2018

## STATUS OF PERMANENT EMPLOYEES TO AWWs/HELPERS

## 1797       SHRIMATI NEELAM SONKER:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  total  number  of  Anganwadi  workers  and  helpers  working  in  the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b) Whether Anganwadi workers/helpers have been entrusted with several responsibilities such as pulse polio, census, women and child malnutrition etc., but they have  not been  given the status of permanent employees till date and their honorarium is also very less and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government  propose to give status of permanent employee  to  the  Anganwadi  workers/helpers  and  to  increase  their honorarium  and  to  provide  them  facilities  similar  to  the  permanent employees;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  time  by  which  it  is  likely  to  be implemented; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (Dr. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a) A statement showing the total number of Anganwadi workers and helpers working in the country, State/UT-wise is at Annexure-I.
- (b) to (e) The Anganwadi workers/helpers have been appointed to implement the Anganwadi Services scheme (ICDS scheme) which consists of the health components  also. This Ministry has  been requesting all the States/UTs not to entrust any other work to the above functionaries to ensure their focussed attention on the assigned work.

Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)  & Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) are honorary  workers  who  are  paid  monthly  honoraria  as  decided  by  the Government  from  time  to  time.  The  present  monthly  rate  of  honoraria paid  to  the  AWWs  and  AWHs  since  01.04.2011  is  Rs.  3000/-  and  Rs. 1500/-  respectively.    The  monthly  honorarium  paid  to  AWWs  of  MiniAWCs  since  04.07.2013  is  Rs.  2250/-.  Enhancement  in  the  rate  of honorarium is a continuous process.

This  Ministry  has  been  urging  the  States/UTs  to  consider  the enhancement of honorarium of Anganwadi Workers/Helpers from their own resources as additional honorarium.  As a result, many States/UTs have  enhanced  the  honorarium  of  these  functionaries  from  their resources as per details given in Annexure II .

The Government of India  is  conscious  about  the  voluntary  efforts made  by  these  functionaries  and  has  been  doing  its  best  for  their welfare.  Some of the facilities extended to AWWs and AWHs, besides the honorarium, are listed below:

-  20 days annual leave.
-  Paid leave on maternity for a period of 135 days for a maximum of two occasions.
-  45 days paid absence on abortion/miscarriage for one occasion.
-  Award for AWWs at the National and State level.
-  Uniform to AWWs and AWHs.
-  50% reservation in recruitment of Supervisors:
-  Insurance cover under `Anganwadi Karyakartri Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana to the covered beneficiaries.

In view of the very nature of the role of Anganwadi Workers/Helpers in the ICDS Scheme, it is not feasible to declare them as Government employees or extend them the benefits as admissible to employees of the Government.  Moreover, in a ruling of 07.12.2006 in Civil Appeal No. 4853-4957 of 1998 - State of Karnataka & Ors. Vs. Ameerbi & Ors. the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India has also held that Anganwadi Workers/Helpers do not hold any civil post.

- *****

## Statement referred to in part (a) of the Lok Sabha US Q No.1797 by  for 27.07.2018

## Number of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Working in the Country for 31st  March 2018

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | No. of AWWs   | No. of AWWs          | No. of AWHs   | No. of AWHs          |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------|----------------------|---------------|----------------------|
| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | Sanctioned    | In-position/ Working | Sanctioned    | In-position/ Working |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    | 55607         | 53951                | 48768         | 44828                |
| 2         | Telangana         | 35700         | 33575                | 31711         | 28820                |
| 3         | Arunachal Pradesh | 6225          | 6225                 | 6225          | 6225                 |
| 4         | Assam             | 62153         | 62153                | 56728         | 56728                |
| 5         | Bihar             | 115009        | 88174                | 107894        | 81130                |
| 6         | Chhattisgarh      | 52474         | 49253                | 46660         | 42366                |
| 7         | Goa               | 1262          | 1208                 | 1262          | 1153                 |
| 8         | Gujarat           | 53029         | 51595                | 51229         | 48710                |
| 9         | Haryana           | 25962         | 25347                | 25450         | 24891                |
| 10        | Himachal Pradesh  | 18925         | 18716                | 18386         | 18131                |
| 11        | Jammu & Kashmir   | 31938         | 28707                | 31938         | 29599                |
| 12        | Jharkhand         | 38432         | 35424                | 35881         | 33117                |
| 13        | Karnataka         | 65911         | 63186                | 62580         | 59026                |
| 14        | Kerala            | 33318         | 33102                | 33189         | 32953                |
| 15        | Madhya Pradesh    | 97135         | 97133                | 84465         | 84465                |
| 16        | Maharashtra       | 110486        | 107170               | 97475         | 92179                |
| 17        | Manipur           | 11510         | 10274                | 9958          | 9497                 |
| 18        | Meghalaya         | 5896          | 5895                 | 4630          | 4628                 |
| 19        | Mizoram           | 2244          | 2244                 | 2244          | 2157                 |
| 20        | Nagaland          | 3980          | 3455                 | 3980          | 3455                 |
| 21        | Odisha            | 74154         | 69625                | 63738         | 60168                |
| 22        | Punjab            | 27314         | 26462                | 26074         | 24772                |
| 23        | Rajasthan         | 62010         | 58744                | 55806         | 52257                |
| 24        | Sikkim            | 1308          | 1289                 | 1308          | 1285                 |
| 25        | Tamil Nadu        | 54439         | 38827                | 49499         | 35154                |
| 26        | Tripura           | 10145         | 9911                 | 10145         | 9911                 |
| 27        | Uttar Pradesh     | 190145        | 173383               | 167855        | 150543               |
| 28        | Uttrakhand        | 20067         | 19056                | 14947         | 13906                |
| 29        | West Bengal       | 119481        | 107514               | 119481        | 101651               |
| 30        | A & N Islands     | 720           | 720                  | 689           | 689                  |
| 31        | Chandigarh        | 500           | 465                  | 500           | 433                  |
| 32        | Delhi             | 11150         | 9796                 | 11150         | 10744                |
| 33        | Dadra & N Haveli  | 302           | 302                  | 247           | 233                  |
| 34        | Daman & Diu       | 107           | 102                  | 107           | 102                  |
| 35        | Lakshadweep       | 107           | 107                  | 96            | 96                   |
| 36        | Puducherry        | 855           | 855                  | 855           | 855                  |
|           | Total             | 1400000       | 1293945              | 1283150       | 1166857              |

## Statement referred to in part (c) of the Lok Sabha US Q No.1797 by for 27.07.2018

## Statement indicating additional honorarium given by the States/UTs to AWWs/AWHs from their own resources (As on 30.06.2018)

| S. No.   | States/UTs         | Additional honorarium given by States/UTs (In Rs.)   | Additional honorarium given by States/UTs (In Rs.)   |
|----------|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | States/UTs         | Anganwadi Workers (AWW)                              | Anganwadi Helper (AWH)                               |
| 1.       | Andaman & Nicobar  | 3000                                                 | 2500                                                 |
| 2.       | Andhra Pradesh     | 1200                                                 | 700                                                  |
| 3.       | Arunachal Pradesh  | Nil                                                  | Nil                                                  |
| 4.       | Assam              | 2000                                                 | 1000                                                 |
| 5.       | Bihar              | 750                                                  | 375                                                  |
| 6.       | Chandigarh         | 2000                                                 | 1000                                                 |
| 7.       | Chhattisgarh       | 2000                                                 | 1000                                                 |
| 8.       | Dadra Nagar Haveli | 1000                                                 | 600                                                  |
| 9.       | Daman & Diu        | 1000                                                 | 600                                                  |
| 10.      | Delhi              | 6678                                                 | 3339                                                 |
| 11.      | Goa                | 3062-11937*                                          | 3000-6000*                                           |
| 12.      | Gujarat            | 3300                                                 | 1700                                                 |
| 13.      | Haryana            | 7286-8429*                                           | 4215                                                 |
| 14.      | Himachal Pradesh   | 1750                                                 | 900                                                  |
| 15.      | Jammu & Kashmir    | 600                                                  | 340                                                  |
| 16.      | Jharkhand          | 1400                                                 | 700                                                  |
| 17.      | Karnataka          | 5000                                                 | 2500                                                 |
| 18.      | Kerala             | 2000                                                 | 2000                                                 |
| 19.      | Lakshadweep        | 3000                                                 | 2000                                                 |
| 20.      | Madhya Pradesh     | 7000                                                 | 3500                                                 |
| 21.      | Maharashtra        | 2000                                                 | 1000                                                 |
| 22.      | Manipur            | 100                                                  | 50                                                   |
| 23.      | Meghalaya          | Nil                                                  | Nil                                                  |
| 24.      | Odisha             | 1000                                                 | 500                                                  |
| 25.      | Puducherry         | 600                                                  | 300                                                  |
| 26.      | Punjab             | 2600                                                 | 1300                                                 |
| 27.      | Rajasthan          | 1724-1736*                                           | 1065                                                 |
| 28.      | Sikkim             | 2225                                                 | 1500                                                 |
| 29.      | Uttarakhand        | 3000                                                 | 1500                                                 |
| 30.      | West Bengal        | 1300                                                 | 1300                                                 |
| 31.      | Uttar Pradesh      | 1000                                                 | 500                                                  |
| 32.      | Nagaland           | Nil                                                  | Nil                                                  |
| 33.      | Mizoram            | 294-306*                                             | 150                                                  |
| 34.      | Tamil Nadu         | 6750 (that includes pay- 2500, GP-500, & DA-3750)    | 4275 (that includes pay- 1500, GP-400, & DA-2375)    |
| 35.      | Telangana          | 10500                                                | 6000                                                 |
| 36.      | Tripura            | 2865                                                 | 1924                                                 |