Lok Sabha Question No. 1841 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-06
Subject: Court Directives on Anganwadi Workers
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Adv. Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1841

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2024

## COURT DIRECTIVES ON ANGANWADI WORKERS

## 1841.  ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government noted the recent judgement of the Gujarat High Court to treat Anganwadi workers as permanent civil employees;
- (b) if  so,  whether  the  High  Court  has  issued  any  directives  to  the  Union Government in this regard;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;
- (d) whether the Government has taken note that Anganwadi workers are getting only a paltry amount as honorarium and are not entitled to any other benefits; and
- (e) if  so,  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  increase  the  honorarium  of Anganwadi workers, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a)  to  (e)  The  Hon'ble  High  Court  of  Gujarat  has  passed  a  Judgement dated 02.08.2024  in  R/Special  Civil  Application  No.  8164  of  2015  titled  'Adarsh  Gujarat Anganwadi Union & Ors. Vs. State of Gujarat & Ors. and other 14 connected Petitions. The Ministry is examining the judgement.

Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is a Centrally Sponsored scheme. The Central  Government  makes  policy  and  does  the  planning  part  and  the  State Governments execute the day-to-day program. Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, Anganwadi functionaries i.e Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers  are  'honorary  workers'  from  the  local  community  who  voluntarily  come forward to render their services in the area of child care and development to help the community for which they are paid monthly honorarium.

Government of India increases the honorarium of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)/Anganwadi  Helpers  (AWHs)  from time to time. The honorarium of AWWs/AWHs was last revised on 1 st  October, 2018 as Rs.4,500/- per month for AWW at main Anganwadi Centres (AWCs); Rs.3,500/- per month for AWW at mini- AWCs and  Rs.2,250/-  per  month  for  AWHs.  Besides,  performance  linked  incentive  of Rs.250/- per month is provided to AWHs and Rs.500/- provided to AWWs. In addition, States/UTs  are  also  paying  additional  monetary  incentives/honorarium  to  these functionaries from their own resources which vary from State to State.  Details are placed at Annexure .

State/  UTs  have been  requested  time  and again  through  sustained  engagements, video conferences and advisories not to involve Anganwadi Workers/ Helpers in work not related to the scheme so that their time could be better utilized for more effective implementation of the scheme.

With a view to incentivize and encourage the Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers, various steps/initiatives have been undertaken including the following:

- (i)   Promotion : Under  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0,  promotional opportunities for Anganwadi Workers have been enhanced. 50% posts of Anganwadi Workers are to be filled by Anganwadi Helpers with 5 years of experience and 50% posts of Supervisors are to be filled by promotion of Anganwadi Workers with 5 years of experience subject to fulfilment of other criteria.
- (ii)  Social  Security  Insurance  Schemes:  Insurance  benefits  have  been  provided  to Anganwadi Workers and Helpers under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) for life cover worth Rs.2.00 lakh  (covers life risk, death due to any reason) to  AWWs/AWHs  in  the  age  group  of  18  to  50  years  and  under  Pradhan  Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana for accidental cover of Rs.2.00 Lakh (accidental death and permanent full disability) /Rs.1.00 Lakh (partial but permanent disability) in the age group of 18-59 years.
- (iii)  Pradhan  Mantri  Shram  Yogi  Maan-Dhan  (PM-SYM ): State  Governments/UT Administrations have been  requested to encourage  eligible  AWWs/AWHs  to get themselves enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan (PM-SYM) Pension  Scheme,  which  is  a  voluntary  and  contributory  pension  scheme  for  the unorganized sectors in the country to ensure old age protection.
- (iv)   Retirement date: States/ UTs have been requested to adopt a uniform retirement date i.e 30 th  April of each year with respect to Anganwadi Workers and Helpers to ensure proper human resource planning.

(v)   It  has  been  announced in the interim budget FY 2024-25 to extend healthcare annual coverage of Rs. 5 Lakhs under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to all Anganwadi workers and helpers.

(vi)   Uniform: There is a provision for set of two uniforms (saree/suit per annum) to AWW/AWH.

Government has issued orders for upgradation of all mini-AWC to regular AWCs. This would add an Anganwadi Helper in these Mini Anganwadi Centres across the country to share the burden of Anganwadi Worker. Under Mission Poshan 2.0, Anganwadi workers (AWWs) have been technologically empowered with  the  provision  of  smartphones  for  efficient  monitoring  and  service delivery through the Poshan Tracker app.  This online system has digitized 9 physical registers out of eleven prepared and used by Anganwadi workers. This improves the quality of their work while simultaneously allowing them more time for monitoring of the all activities in the Anganwadi. Block Coordinators  also.  Similarly,  data  recharge  support  is  also  provided  to  AWWs,

In addition to  AWWs,  Smartphones  are  provided  to  Supervisors and Supervisors and Block Coordinators.

****

Annexure

Statement referred to in reply to Part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.  1841  to  be  answered  on  06.12.2024  regarding  'Court  Directives  on Anganwadi Workers'

| S.No.   | Name of States/UTs   | As reported by the States and UTs additional incentive/honorarium from its own sources (per month) in Rs.                                                                                             | As reported by the States and UTs additional incentive/honorarium from its own sources (per month) in Rs.                                                                                              |
|---------|----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.   | Name of States/UTs   | Anganwadi Worker                                                                                                                                                                                      | Anganwadi Helper                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh       | 7000                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 4750                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 2       | Bihar                | 2500                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 1725                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 3       | Chhattisgarh         | 5500                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 2750                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 4       | Goa                  | 5500 (0-10 years experience), 6000 (10-15 years experience), 8000 (15 to 20 years experience) 10000 ( 20-25 years experience) and 12000 (25 years and above experience)                               | 3000 (0-5 years experience), 3500 (5-10 years experience), 4000 (10 to 15 years experience) 4500 ( 15-20 years experience) , 5250 (20 to 25 years experience) and 6000 (25 years and above experience) |
| 5       | Gujarat              | 5500                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 3250                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 6       | Haryana              | 9500 ( AWWs above 10 years) 9000 (AWWs less than 10 years service/experience) 9000 (Mini AWWs) Rs. 1000 per month additional is paid to 4000 AWWs who is working in 4000 play schools (upgraded AWCs) | 5250                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 7       | Himachal Pradesh     | 5000 for Main AWC & 2950 for Mini AWCs                                                                                                                                                                | 3100                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 8       | Jammu & Kashmir      | 600                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 300                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 9       | Jharkhand            | 5000 (Main AWC) and 6000 in Mini AWC                                                                                                                                                                  | 2500                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 10      | Karnataka            | 6500                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 4000                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 11      | Kerala               | Rs.8000/-for who has completed 5 years of service and Rs.8500/- for who has completed 10 years of service                                                                                             | Rs.6250/- for who has completed 5 years of service and Rs.6750/- for who has completed 10 years of service                                                                                             |
| 12      | Madhya Pradesh       | 8500 for Main AWC & 3750 for Mini AWC                                                                                                                                                                 | 4250                                                                                                                                                                                                   |

|   13 | Maharashtra                       | 5500 (Up to 10 Years experience) 5800 ( 11 to 20 years experience), 5900 (21 to 30 years experience), 6000 (31 years and above experience)   | 3250 (Up to 10 Years experience) 3415 ( 11 to 20 years experience), 3470 (21 to 30 years experience), 3525 (31 years and above experience)   |
|------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   14 | Orissa                            | 3000 for Main AWC & 1875 for Mini AWC                                                                                                        | 1500                                                                                                                                         |
|   15 | Punjab                            | 5000 ( Rs 500 increment per year).                                                                                                           | 3100 (250 increment per year)                                                                                                                |
|   16 | Rajasthan                         | 4554                                                                                                                                         | 3036                                                                                                                                         |
|   17 | Tamil Nadu                        | 10502                                                                                                                                        | 6596                                                                                                                                         |
|   18 | Telangana                         | 9150                                                                                                                                         | 5550                                                                                                                                         |
|   19 | Uttar Pradesh                     | 1500                                                                                                                                         | 750                                                                                                                                          |
|   20 | Uttarakhand                       | 4800-AWW & 2750-MINIAWW                                                                                                                      | 3000                                                                                                                                         |
|   21 | West Bengal                       | 3750                                                                                                                                         | 4050                                                                                                                                         |
|   22 | A&N Island                        | 7500                                                                                                                                         | 5750                                                                                                                                         |
|   23 | Chandigarh                        | 3600                                                                                                                                         | 1800                                                                                                                                         |
|   24 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli/ Daman & Diu | 1000                                                                                                                                         | 600                                                                                                                                          |
|   25 | Lakshadweep                       | 5500                                                                                                                                         | 4750                                                                                                                                         |
|   26 | Delhi                             | 8220                                                                                                                                         | 4560                                                                                                                                         |
|   27 | Puducherry                        | 1950                                                                                                                                         | 2125                                                                                                                                         |
|   28 | Arunachal Pradesh                 | 2000+ 1000 w.e.f 16.01.2024                                                                                                                  | 2000+ 1000 w.e.f 16.01.2024                                                                                                                  |
|   29 | Assam                             | 2000 forAWW & 1250 for Mini AWW                                                                                                              | 1000                                                                                                                                         |
|   30 | Manipur                           | 1000                                                                                                                                         | 600                                                                                                                                          |
|   31 | Meghalaya                         | 3000 for Main AWC& 1500 for Mini AWC                                                                                                         | 1000                                                                                                                                         |
|   32 | Mizoram                           | 450                                                                                                                                          | 250                                                                                                                                          |
|   33 | Nagaland                          | 0                                                                                                                                            | 0                                                                                                                                            |
|   34 | Sikkim                            | 7000                                                                                                                                         | 4500                                                                                                                                         |
|   35 | Tripura                           | 5946 (Maximum) & 3500 Minimum                                                                                                                | 4218 (Maximum) & 2750 (Minimum)                                                                                                              |
|   36 | Ladakh                            | 1300                                                                                                                                         | 650                                                                                                                                          |

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