Lok Sabha Question No. 4848 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-01
Subject: Honorarium/Wages to Anganwadi Workers
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasama, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Bhagirath Chaudhary, Geeta Kora, Navneet Ravi Rana, Sajda Ahmed, Suresh Kodikunnil, Gaurav Gogoi, Dean Kuriakose, S.R. Parthiban, Feroze Varun Gandhi, Abdul Majeed Ariff, Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4848

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2022

## HONORARIUM/WAGES TO ANGANWADI WORKERS

## 4848.  SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

SHRI JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA:

SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY:

SHRIMATI GEETA KORA:

SHRIMATI NAVNEET RAVI RANA:

SHRIMATI SAJDA AHMED:

SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

SHRI PARTHIBAN S.R.:

SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

ADV. A.M. ARIFF:

SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

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

- (a) the number of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and Workers/Helpers/Supervisors engaged therein, state/UT-wise indicating the honorarium presently paid to them;
- (b) whether the Government is aware of harrowing working conditions and reduced wages of such Workers in the country and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  received  any  representation  or  taken  cognizance  of protests by Anganwadi workers/helpers demanding increase in their honorarium and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether any meeting was held with the States to consider the demand of increase in wages of such workers and if so, the details and the outcome thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has any proposal for redressal of their problems/demands and increase their honorarium/wages and social security benefits including implementation of the recommendations of Parliamentary Committee and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (f) the  data  regarding  death  of  workers/helpers  due  to  Covid-19  including  compensation paid to them;

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

(a) &  (b)      State/UT-wise  number  of  Anganwadi  Centres  (AWCs)  and  number  of  Anganwadi Workers/Anganwadi Helpers/Supervisors is annexed . Presently, honorarium of AWWs at mainAWCs is ₹ 4,500/- per month; AWWs at mini-AWCs is ₹3,500/- per month; AWHs is ₹2,250/per  month.  Besides  performance  linked  incentive  of  ₹  250/-  per  month  to  AWHs,  modified guidelines  have  been  issued  for  performance  linked  incentive  @  ₹500/-  per  month  to Anganwadi  Workers  w.e.f.  01.04.2021.  In  addition,  States/UTs  are  also  paying  additional monetary incentives/honorarium to these functionaries from their own resources. Supervisors under  Anganwadi  Services  are  government  employees,  whose  pay  scales  are  decided  from time to time by the concerned State Government/UT Administration.

In order to improve the working conditions of Anganwadi Workers, Ministry of Women & Child Development has issued revised joint guidelines with Rural Development and Panchayati Raj for  construction of 4 lakh AWC buildings across the country under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in convergence with Anganwadi Services (ICDS Scheme). Under Swachhta Action Plan, grants are provided for drinking water facilities and toilet facilities per AWC. Grants are also sanctioned for purchase of water filter, furniture, equipment, etc. Besides,  Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) have been provided with Smart Phones for efficient service delivery.

There have been sustained engagements with State Governments for review and improvement including  recent  interactions  to  discuss  different  implementation  related  issues  such  as Anganwadi Infrastructure, non-operationalisation of Anganwadi Centres, filling of vacancies of Anganwadi  Services  functionaries,  smooth  delivery  of  services  to  the  beneficiaries  etc.  to strengthen the services.

Further, streamlined guidelines were issued on 13.01.2021, covering several aspects such as quality  assurance,  roles  and  responsibilities  of  duty  holders,  procedure  for  procurement, integrating AYUSH concepts and Data management and Monitoring through "Poshan Tracker" for transparency, efficiency and accountability in delivery of Supplementary Nutrition has been issued.

In addition, following benefits are also given to AWWs/AWHs:

- i)  Leave: They have been allowed paid absence of 180 days of maternity leave and 20 paid annual leaves.
2. ii) Award: In order to motivate the Anganwadi Workers and give recognition to good voluntary work, a Scheme of Award for AWWs/AWHs, comprising Rs.50,000/- cash award to AWWs and Rs.40,000/- cash  award to AWHs was introduced.
3. iii)          Uniform: Government has made a provision for a set of two Uniforms (saree/suit per annum).
4. (c)         Government has received demands  from Anganwadi  Workers/Unions etc. for increasing  the  honorarium.  However,  the  Government  of  India  undertakes  revision  of  the honorarium  of  AWWs  and  AWHs  from  time  to  time.  With  effect  from  01.10.2018,  the Government of India has enhanced the honorarium of AWWs/AWHs.  Additional honorarium is paid by the States/UTs from their own financial resources.
5. (d)       From time to time, there have been sustained engagements with State Governments/UT Administrations  for  review  and  improvement  including  recent  interactions  to  discuss  different implementation related issues to strengthen Anganwadi services.
6. (e)        AWWs/AWHs  are covered under Social Security Insurance Schemes.

Anganwadi Workers/ Helpers who have been engaged with Covid-19 related tasks have been included in the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package for insurance cover of Rs.50 lakh subject to fulfillment of certain conditions prescribed for the coverage.

Also, State Governments/UT Administrations have been requested to encourage eligible AWWs/AWHs to get themselves enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan (PMSYM) Pension Scheme on voluntary basis in order to get assured monthly pension on attaining the age of 60 years.

With respect to problems/issues faced by Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers, the same are taken up with concerned States/ UTs for  appropriate action. Reports on these issues which are serious in nature are sought from State Governments/ UT Administrations.

- (f)        No such data is maintained in the Ministry.

## ANNEXURE

Annexure referred in reply to Part (a) of Lok Sabha UnStarred Question No.4848 for answer on 01.04.2022 regarding 'Honorarium/Wages to Anganwadi Workers' indicating  State/UT-wise  number  of  sanctioned  and  operational  Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and Workers/Helpers/Supervisors engaged therein as on 30.06.2021

| S. No                                                | State/UTs                                            | No. of Anganwadi Centres                             | No. of Anganwadi Centres                             | No of Supervisor                                     | No. ofAWW                                            | No. of AWH                                           |
|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No                                                | State/UTs                                            | Sanctioned                                           | Operational                                          | In-position                                          | In-position                                          | In-position                                          |
| 1                                                    | Andhra Pradesh                                       | 55607                                                | 55607                                                | 1385                                                 | 54011                                                | 45051                                                |
| 2                                                    | Arunachal Pradesh                                    | 6225                                                 | 6225                                                 | 249                                                  | 6225                                                 | 6225                                                 |
| 3                                                    | Assam                                                | 62153                                                | 61715                                                | 2026                                                 | 61014                                                | 55255                                                |
| 4                                                    | Bihar                                                | 115009                                               | 112094                                               | 2181                                                 | 112048                                               | 103141                                               |
| 5                                                    | Chhatisgarh                                          | 52474                                                | 51586                                                | 1376                                                 | 44356                                                | 42696                                                |
| 6                                                    | Goa                                                  | 1262                                                 | 1262                                                 | 43                                                   | 1154                                                 | 1141                                                 |
| 7                                                    | Gujarat                                              | 53029                                                | 53029                                                | 1703                                                 | 51660                                                | 48589                                                |
| 8                                                    | Haryana                                              | 25962                                                | 25962                                                | 767                                                  | 24610                                                | 23469                                                |
| 9                                                    | Himachal Pradesh                                     | 18925                                                | 18925                                                | 635                                                  | 18667                                                | 17933                                                |
| 10                                                   | Jharkhand                                            | 38432                                                | 38432                                                | 766                                                  | 37820                                                | 34323                                                |
| 11                                                   | Karnataka                                            | 65911                                                | 65911                                                | 1972                                                 | 64417                                                | 59961                                                |
| 12                                                   | Kerala                                               | 33318                                                | 33115                                                | 1039                                                 | 33115                                                | 32986                                                |
| 13                                                   | Madhya Pradesh                                       | 97135                                                | 97135                                                | 3140                                                 | 95571                                                | 82015                                                |
| 14                                                   | Maharashtra                                          | 110486                                               | 109832                                               | 2731                                                 | 104537                                               | 84289                                                |
| 15                                                   | Manipur                                              | 11510                                                | 11510                                                | 335                                                  | 11318                                                | 9792                                                 |
| 16                                                   | Meghalaya                                            | 5896                                                 | 5896                                                 | 185                                                  | 5894                                                 | 4627                                                 |
| 17                                                   | Mizoram                                              | 2244                                                 | 2244                                                 | 90                                                   | 2244                                                 | 2244                                                 |
| 18                                                   | Nagaland                                             | 3980                                                 | 3980                                                 | 159                                                  | 3980                                                 | 3980                                                 |
| 19                                                   | Odisha                                               | 74154                                                | 73172                                                | 2428                                                 | 71474                                                | 61380                                                |
| 20                                                   | Punjab                                               | 27314                                                | 27304                                                | 692                                                  | 26001                                                | 22683                                                |
| 21                                                   | Rajasthan                                            | 62010                                                | 61625                                                | 1475                                                 | 59228                                                | 52983                                                |
| 22                                                   | Sikkim                                               | 1308                                                 | 1308                                                 | 52                                                   | 1284                                                 | 1280                                                 |
| 23                                                   | Tamil Nadu                                           | 54439                                                | 54439                                                | 1125                                                 | 47264                                                | 41960                                                |
| 24                                                   | Telangana                                            | 35700                                                | 35580                                                | 802                                                  | 34016                                                | 28438                                                |
| 25                                                   | Tripura                                              | 10145                                                | 9911                                                 | 234                                                  | 9911                                                 | 9911                                                 |
| 26                                                   | Uttar Pradesh                                        | 190145                                               | 189309                                               | 2826                                                 | 163863                                               | 139756                                               |
| 27                                                   | Uttrakhand                                           | 20067                                                | 20048                                                | 435                                                  | 19511                                                | 14286                                                |
| 28                                                   | West Bengal *                                        | 119481                                               | 119481                                               | 1291                                                 | 107231                                               | 101563                                               |
| 29                                                   | A & N Islands                                        | 720                                                  | 719                                                  | 27                                                   | 720                                                  | 689                                                  |
| 30                                                   | Chandigarh                                           | 450                                                  | 450                                                  | 12                                                   | 439                                                  | 446                                                  |
| 31                                                   | Dadra & N Haveli and Daman & Diu                     | 409                                                  | 405                                                  | 6                                                    | 405                                                  | 337                                                  |
| 32                                                   | Delhi                                                | 10897                                                | 10755                                                | 363                                                  | 10397                                                | 10740                                                |
| 33                                                   | Jammu & Kashmir                                      | 30765                                                | 28078                                                | 1025                                                 | 27511                                                | 27601                                                |
| 34                                                   | Ladakh                                               | 1173                                                 | 1140                                                 | 39                                                   | 1122                                                 | 1111                                                 |
| 35                                                   | Lakshadweep                                          | 107                                                  | 71                                                   | 2                                                    | 74                                                   | 85                                                   |
| 36                                                   | Puducherry                                           | 855                                                  | 855                                                  | 0                                                    | 843                                                  | 841                                                  |
| 1399697 1389110 33616 1313935 1173807 on March 2021. | 1399697 1389110 33616 1313935 1173807 on March 2021. | 1399697 1389110 33616 1313935 1173807 on March 2021. | 1399697 1389110 33616 1313935 1173807 on March 2021. | 1399697 1389110 33616 1313935 1173807 on March 2021. | 1399697 1389110 33616 1313935 1173807 on March 2021. | 1399697 1389110 33616 1313935 1173807 on March 2021. |