Lok Sabha Question No. 2232 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-01
Subject: Additional Incentive to AWWs and AWHs
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Ms. S Jothimani

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2232

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2025

## ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE TO AWWS AND AWHS

## 2232. MS. S JOTHIMANI:

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

- (a) whether honorarium paid to Anganwadi workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) under the centrally sponsored scheme has been any revised during the last three years, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  received  demands  or  representations  from Anganwadi unions and workers' associations seeking an increase in wages, pension  benefits  or  regularization  of  services  and  if  so,  the  action  taken thereon;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to improve the working conditions, job security and social security benefits of Anganwadi staff, including insurance coverage and maternity entitlements;
- (d) whether  any  States  including  Tamil  Nadu  have  announced  additional incentives or top-up payments to AWWs and AWHs and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  bring  AWWs  and  AWHs  under  a structured pay scale or include them in the formal Government workforce framework and if so, the details and the timeline formulated in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e)  Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is a Centrally Sponsored scheme. The Central Government is responsible for policy and planning and the State Governments/UT Administrations are responsible for day-to-day program implementation. Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) 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 local community for which they are paid honorarium. Honorarium is given to AWWs and AWHs which is increased from time to time. From 1 st  October, 2018, Government  of  India  has  enhanced  the  honorarium  of  AWWs  at  Anganwadi centres (AWCs) from Rs.3,000/- to Rs.4,500/- per month; AWWs at mini- AWCs from Rs.2,250/- to Rs.3,500/- per month; AWHs from Rs.1,500/- to Rs.2,250/per  month  as  per  the  defined  cost  sharing  ratio  between  the  Centre  & States/UTs.  In  addition,  States/UTs  are  also  paying  additional  monetary incentives/top ups to these functionaries from their own resources which vary from State to State. Details of additional top ups provided by States/ UTs are at Annexure.

Besides,  performance  linked  incentive  of  Rs.500/-  is  provided  to  AWWs  and Rs.250/- per month to AWHs. In addition, States/UTs are also paying additional monetary  incentives/top  ups  to  these  voluntary  workers  from  their  own resources which vary from State to State.

Under  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0,  AWWs  have  been technologically  empowered  with  the  provision  of  smartphones  for  efficient monitoring  and  service  delivery.  Poshan  Tracker  which  is  a  mobile  phone application that has digitized physical registers used by Anganwadi workers. This improves the quality of their work while simultaneously enabling them for real-time monitoring of all activities going on in the Anganwadis.

To incentivize and encourage the AWWs and AWHs, various 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. Leave: 20 days annual leave and paid maternity absence of 180 days, paid absence on abortion/ miscarriage once for 45 days.
- iii. State Governments and UT Administrations have been requested to encourage eligible AWWs and 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. 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) 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.
5. v.

Retirement date: States and 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.

- vi. Annual  Healthcare  coverage  of  Rs.  5  Lakhs  under  Ayushman  Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to all Anganwadi workers and helpers in pursuance to budget announcement in FY 2024-25.

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## Annexure

Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  Part  (a)  to  (e)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred Question  No.  2232  to  be  answered  on  01.08.2025  regarding  'Additional Incentive to AWWs and AWHs'

Details of additional top ups provided by States/ UTs as per Annual Programme Implementation Plan (APIP) 2025-26:

|   Sr. No. | State             | Additional Honorarium paid to AWWs (per month)   | Additional Honorarium paid to AWHs (per month)   |
|-----------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Andhra Pradesh    | 7,000                                            | 4,750                                            |
|         2 | Bihar             | 2,500                                            | 1,750                                            |
|         3 | Chhattisgarh      | 5,500                                            | 2,750                                            |
|         4 | Gujarat           | 5,500                                            | 3,250                                            |
|         5 | Haryana           | 10,250                                           | 5,650                                            |
|         6 | Himachal Pradesh  | 5,500                                            | 3,250                                            |
|         7 | Jammu & Kashmir   | 600                                              | 300                                              |
|         8 | Jharkhand         | 5,000                                            | 2,500                                            |
|         9 | Karnataka         | 7,000                                            | 4,500                                            |
|        10 | Kerala            | 5,700                                            | 4,300                                            |
|        11 | Madhya Pradesh    | 8,500                                            | 4,250                                            |
|        12 | Maharashtra       | 8,500                                            | 5,250                                            |
|        13 | Odisha            | 5,500                                            | 2,750                                            |
|        14 | Punjab            | 5,500-6,500                                      | 2,750-3,250                                      |
|        15 | Rajasthan         | 5,510                                            | 3,674                                            |
|        16 | Tamil Nadu        | 3,200                                            | 1,850                                            |
|        17 | Telangana         | 9,150                                            | 5,550                                            |
|        18 | Uttar Pradesh     | 1,500                                            | 750                                              |
|        19 | Uttarakhand       | 4,800                                            | 3,000                                            |
|        20 | West Bengal       | 4,500                                            | 4,550                                            |
|        21 | Arunachal Pradesh | 3,000                                            | 3,000                                            |
|        22 | Assam             | 2,000                                            | 1,000                                            |
|        23 | Manipur           | 1,000                                            | 600                                              |
|        24 | Meghalaya         | 3,000                                            | 1,000                                            |
|        25 | Mizoram           | 450                                              | 500                                              |
|        26 | Nagaland          | Nil                                              | Nil                                              |
|        27 | Sikkim            | 7,000                                            | 4,500                                            |
|        28 | Tripura           | 3,500-5,946                                      | 2,750-4218                                       |
|        29 | Andaman & Nicobar | 7,500                                            | 5,750                                            |

|   30 | Goa           | 5,500 -13,500   | 3,750 - 6,750   |
|------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|   31 | Puducherry    | 1,950           | 2,125           |
|   32 | Chandigarh    | 3,600           | 1,800           |
|   33 | Ladakh        | 1,300           | 650             |
|   34 | Delhi         | 6,720           | 3,360           |
|   35 | Dadra & Nagar | 3,500           | 1,750           |
|   36 | Lakshadweep   | 5,500           | 4,750           |

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