Lok Sabha Question No. 2947 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-17
Subject: Anganwadi Workers/Helpers
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Imtiaz Jaleel Syed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 2947

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2023

## ANGANWADI WORKERS/HELPERS

## 2947.   SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL:

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

- a. the total number of Anganwadi workers/helpers working in the rural and urban areas of  the  country,  particularly  in  the  State  of  Maharashtra  along  with  their  duties  and pay/salary;
- b. whether  the  Government  has  provided  the  basic  facilities  for  these  Anganwadi workers and children under their care and if so, the details thereof;
- c. whether the Government has received grievances/complaints from them and if so, the details thereof along with the remedial steps taken by Government;
- d. whether  the  Government  is  considering  to  increase  the  basic  minimum  wages  and regular employment of health workers; and
- e. if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a)  As  on  30.06.2022,  there  were  1271806  Anganwadi  Workers  (AWWs)  and  1168560 Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) working at Anganwadi Centres across the country out of which 105724 AWWs and 82706 AWHs were working in the State of Maharashtra. Since AWWs and  AWHs  are  honorary  workers,  they  are  paid  a  monthly  honoraria  as  decided  by  the Government from time to time. The roles and responsibilities of AWWs and AWHs has been annexed.
- (b)  Various  steps  have  been  taken  to  modernise  and  augment  the  basic  facilities  of Anganwadis in the country from time to time as stated below:
- i. Under Saksham Anganwadi, across the country 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres  (AWCs) (40,000 AWCs per year) would be strengthened and upgraded for improved nutrition delivery and for early childhood care and development of children under 6 years of age.  This  year  40,000  AWCs  have  been  identified  in  aspirational  districts  for upgradation. Saksham Anganwadis shall have better infrastructure including internet/wifi connectivity, LED screens and smart learning and audio-visual aids and child-friendly learning equipment.
- ii. The  cost  of  construction  of  Toilet  per  AWC  has  been  revised  to  Rs.36000/-  from Rs.12000/-  and  the  cost  for  providing  drinking  water  facilities  has  been  revised  to Rs.17000/- from Rs.10000/-.
- iii. State  Governments/UT  Administrations  have  been  advised  to  take  up  the  matter  of installation of rainwater harvesting in Government owned Anganwadi buildings.
- iv. A  total  of  50,000  AWCs  (@10,000  AWCs  per  year)  would  be  constructed  under convergence with MGNREGS for a five year period ending FY 2025-26.
- v. Grants are sanctioned for purchase of furniture, equipment, etc.
- vi. Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) have been provided with Smart Phones for efficient service delivery and Anganwadi Centres have been equipped with Growth Monitoring Devices.

(c) Saksham  Anganwadi  &  Poshan  2.0  is  a Centrally Sponsored Scheme  and  the administration, management & monitoring regarding implementation of the Scheme is being done by the concerned State Government/UT Administration. Complaints, if received, with respect  to  irregularities/  corruption  in  implementation  of  the  Scheme  are  taken  up  with concerned State Governments/UT  Administrations  for  appropriate action. Reports on complaints which are serious in nature are sought from State Governments/  UT Administrations. Action for any misconduct or involvement of any employee in any corrupt practice is taken by the respective State Government/ UT Administration as per their service rules.

(d)  &  (e)  Public  Health  and  Hospitals  is  a  State  Subject,  hence,  all  the  administrative  and personnel  matters,  lies  with  the  respective  State  Governments/UT  Administrations.  Under National  Health  Mission  (NHM),  Government  of  India  provides  financial  and  technical support  to  State  Governments/UT  Administrations  to  strengthen  their  healthcare  systems including support for salary of Health Worker, based on the requirements posed by them in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overall resource envelope.

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Annexure Referred In Reply to Part (a) of Lok Sabha Un-Starred Question No.2947 for answer  on  17.03.2023  raised  by  Shri  Syed  Imtiaz  Jaleel  regarding ' Anganwadi Workers/Helpers ' indicating  role  and  responsibilities  of  Anganwadi  Workers  and Anganwadi Helpers

## 1.   Roles and Responsibilities of Anganwadi Workers

- a. To elicit community support and participation in running the Poshan 2.0 programme.
- b. To learn to use and become proficient in the operations of the smartphone provided to the AWC where she undertakes the voluntary work.
- c. To feed relevant beneficiary data in Poshan Tracker app on regular basis as instructed from time to time and generate/submit reports/ returns as specified.
- d. To weigh each child every month, record the weight graphically on the growth card, use referral card for referring cases of mothers/children to the sub-centres/PHC etc., and maintain child cards for children below 6 years and produce these cards before visiting medical and para-medical personnel.
- e. To carry  out  a  quick  survey  of  all  the  families,  especially  mothers  and  children  in those families at least once in a year.
- f. To organize non-formal pre-school activities in the Anganwadi for children in the age group 3-6 years and to help in designing and making of toys and play equipment of indigenous origin for use in the Anganwadi Centre.
- g. To organize supplementary nutrition  feeding  for  children  (0-6  years)  and  expectant and nursing mothers by planning the menu based on locally available ingredients and recipes.
- h. To provide health and nutrition education and counselling on breastfeeding and infant & young child feeding practices to mothers. Anganwadi workers being close to the local community shall motivate married women to adopt family planning/birth control measures.
- i. To help pregnant and lactating mothers visiting the Anganwadi centre to get the birth of their child registered and share the information with the village level functionary who notifies the Registrar of Births.
- j. To  undertake  home  visits  for  educating  parents  and  to  enable  mothers  to  plan effectively for the child ' s growth and development with special emphasis on the new born child.
- k. To maintain files and records as prescribed.
- l. To  assist  the  PHC  staff  in  the  implementation  of  the  health  component  of  the programme, viz. immunization and health check-up, ante-natal and post-natal check etc.
- m. To assist ANM in the administration of IFA and Vitamin A by keeping stock of the two medicines in the Centre without maintaining stock register as it would add to her administrative work and affect her main functions under the Scheme.
- n. To share information collected under ICDS Scheme with the ANM. However, ANM will not solely rely upon the information obtained from the records of AWW.
- o. To bring to the notice of the Supervisors/CDPO any development in the village which requires  their  attention  and  intervention  particularly  with  regard  to  the  work  of  the coordinating arrangements with different departments.
- p. To coordinate with other local institutions and involve lady school teachers and girls of the primary/middle schools in the village which have relevance to her functions.
- q. To guide Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) engaged under National Heath Mission  in  the  delivery  of  health  care  services  and  maintenance  of  records  under Poshan 2.0 (Anganwadi) Scheme.
- r. To assist in implementation of SAG and motivate and educate the adolescent girls and their parents and community in general by organizing social awareness programmes/campaigns etc.
- s. AWW shall assist in implementation of Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls as per the guidelines of the Scheme and maintain such records as prescribed.
- t. Anganwadi  Worker  shall  function  as  depot  holder  for  RCH  Kit/contraceptives  and disposable delivery kits. However, actual distribution of delivery kits or administration of drugs, other than OTC (Over the Counter) drugs shall be carried out by the ANM or ASHA as decided by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
- u. AWW shall help to identify the children with special needs during her home visits and refer  the  case  immediately  to  the  nearest  PHC  or  District  Disability  Rehabilitation Centre.
- v. AWW  shall  support  in  organizing  Pulse  Polio  Immunization  (PPI)  drives  and  in identifying cases of juvenile diabetes.
- w. Maintain Covid-19 protocols.
- x. Inform the ANM in case of emergency cases like diarrhoea, cholera etc.
- y. To  perform  any  bona  fide  task  related  to  Saksham  Anganwadi  &  Poshan  2.0  as directed by Govt. of India depending on the circumstances.

## 2.     Roles and Responsibilities of Anganwadi Helpers

- a. Cook and serve food to beneficiaries.
- b. Clean the Anganwadi premises daily and fetch water.
- c. Ensure cleanliness in young children.
- d. Bring children from the village community to the Anganwadi centre.
- e. Help AWW in smooth discharge of her duties.
- f. In  absence  of  AWW,  the  Anganwadi  Helper  shall  carry  out  her  functions  and discharge her responsibilities.

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