Lok Sabha Question No. 3372 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-05
Subject: Operational AWCs in West Bengal
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dilip Ghosh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 3372

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2022

## OPERATIONAL AWCS IN WEST BENGAL

3372. SHRI DILIP GHOSH:

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

- (a) the number of Anganwadi Kendras operational in West Bengal and the number of children and women being benefited through these Kendras;
- (b) the details of various projects/schemes launched in this regard in West Bengal;
- (c) the details of allocation of fund and its utilisation during the last five years;
- (d) whether foodgrains are being provided by the Government for pregnant women and children in Anganwadi Kendras of West Bengal under NFSA, 2013, if so, the details thereof, during last five years; and
- (e) the  eligibility  criteria  of  the  Anganwadi  workers  and  helpers  and  the  details  of salary  and  honorarium  being  paid  along  with  the  prescribed  fund  sharing  ratio between Centre and States?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) As on 31.03.2022, all the 119481 sanctioned Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) are operational in the State of West Bengal wherein 6870745 children (6 months-6 years) and 1465148 Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers have been benefited. Recently the  Anganwadi  Services  Scheme  has  been  revised  and  subsumed  under  Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 and has been launched across the country including in the State of West Bengal.

- (c) The details of funds allocated to the State of West Bengal and funds utilized, during the last five years, is as under:

(Rupees in Lakhs)

| S.No.   | Year     |   Funds Released | Funds Utilized   |
|---------|----------|------------------|------------------|
| i.      | 2017-18  |          99426.4 | 69041.2          |
| ii.     | 2018-19  |         124775   | 96158            |
| iii.    | 2019-20  |         116400   | 132046           |
| iv.     | 2020-21  |         104721   | 89789.29         |
| v.      | 2021-22* |          66835.2 | ----             |

* Utilization not due for Financial Year 2021-22

(d) Yes, Sir.  Under  Wheat  Based  Nutrition  Programme  (WBNP)  of  Saksham Anganwadi  &  Poshan  2.0,  foodgrains  are  being  allocated  to  State  Governments/UT

Administrations  for  the  beneficiaries  of  Anganwadi  Services.  Details  of  foodgrains allocated to the State of West Bengal during last five years is as under:-

| S. No.   | Year    |   Rice (in MTs) | Fortified Rice (in MTs)   |
|----------|---------|-----------------|---------------------------|
| i.       | 2017-18 |           80000 | ---                       |
| ii.      | 2018-19 |          109522 | --                        |
| iii.     | 2019-20 |          132000 | --                        |
| iv.      | 2020-21 |          143165 | --                        |
| v.       | 2021-22 |           62314 | 98368                     |

(e) Minimum prescribed qualification for Anganwadi Worker (AWW)/ Anganwadi Helper (AWH)  is  12 th standard  and  age  limit  is  18-35  years.  AWWs/AWHs  being  honorary workers are paid a monthly honorarium as decided by Government from time to time. Presently,  honorarium  of  AWWs  at  main-AWCs  is  ₹  4,500/-  per  month  and  at  miniAWCs is ₹3,500/- per month. For AWHs, the honorarium is ₹2,250/- per month. AWWs are  paid  a  performance  linked  incentive  of  ₹  500/-  per  month  while  for  AWHs  the performance  linked  incentive  is  ₹250/-  per  month.  In  addition,  States/UTs  are  also paying additional monetary incentives/honorarium to these functionaries from their own resources. The prescribed cost sharing ratio between Central and States/UTs  for the Honorarium to AWWs/AWHs is as under:

- i. States/ UTs with Legislature- 60:40
- ii. NE / Himalayan States (including J&K) - 90: 10
- iii. UT without legislature- 100:0

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