Lok Sabha Question No. 2695 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-04
Subject: Change in Nomenclature of Anganwadi Worker’s Honorarium
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Sangeeta Azad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2695

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2023

## CHANGE IN NOMENCLATURE OF ANGANWADI WORKER'S HONORARIUM

## 2695. SHRIMATI SANGEETA AZAD:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to recognize the demands of the Anganwadi Workers and treat them as employees of the Union Government;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  change  the  nomenclature  of  the compensation category of Anganwadi and ASHA Workers from 'Honorarium' to 'Salary' and providing requisite resultant benefits;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e)  Under Angnawadi Services Scheme, Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers are 'honorary workers' from the local community who come forward to render their services in the area of child care and development. AWWs/AWHs being honorary workers are paid a monthly honorarium as decided by the Government from time to time.

For the welfare of Anganwadi Workers/ Anganwadi Helpers (AWWs/AWHs), the following steps have been taken:

- (i)        Honorarium: Government of India enhances the honorarium of AWWs/ AWHs from time to time. Lastly, Government of India has enhanced the honorarium of AWWs at main-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; and  introduced  performance  linked  incentive  of  Rs.250/-  per  month  to  AWHs  and Rs.500/- to AWWs w.e.f. 1 st  October, 2018. In addition, States/UTs are also paying additional  monetary  incentives/honorarium  to  these  functionaries  from  their  own resources which vary from State to State.
- (ii) Improvement  in  infrastructure: Under  the  revised  Scheme,  there  is  a provision  of  upgradation  of  2  lakh  Anganwadi  Centres  (AWCs)  as  Saksham Anganwadis with improved/upgraded infrastructure in Aspirational Districts @ 40,000 AWCs per annum upto 2056-26.  In 2022-23, 41,192 AWCs have been identified for upgradation with inter alia LEDs and smart learning and teaching aids.  Besides, the cost of drinking water facilities and toilets at Anganwadi Centres have been increased from  Rs.10,000/-  to  Rs.17,000/-  and  Rs.12,000/-  to  Rs.36,000/-  respectively.  For construction of Anganwadi Centres in convergence with MGNREGS, construction cost has  been  revised  from  Rs.7  lakh  to  Rs.12  lakh  per  unit.   Keeping  in  view  the importance  of  nutrition  and  Early  Childhood  Care  and  Education  (ECCE)  services delivery, it has been decided to upgrade all Mini-Anganwadi Centres to main/regular Anganwadi Centres with the availability of an Anganwadi Helper.
- (iii) Leveraging  IT  through  Poshan  Tracker :  Under  the  revised  Scheme,  IT systems have been leveraged to strengthen and bring about transparency in delivery support systems at Anganwadi Centres.  The 'Poshan Tracker' application was rolled out by the Ministry of Women & Child Development on 1 st  March, 2021 as an important governance  tool.   Anganwadi  Workers  have  been  technologically  empowered  with smartphones (approx 11 lakh). The mobile application has digitized and automated the physical registers used by AWWs which has also helped in improving their quality of work.
- (iv) Promotion  Avenues: 50%  posts  of  AWWs  shall  be  filled  by  promotion  of Anganwadi Helpers with 5 years of experience and 50% posts of supervisors shall be filled  by  promotion  of  Anganwadi  Workers  with  5  years  of  experience  subject  to fulfillment of other criteria.
- (v) Capacity Building : NeGD is regularly conducting field level trainings/workshops  directly  for  Anganwadi  Workers  regarding  use  of  the  Poshan Tracker Application.  Multiple rounds of trainings have been held both virtually and physically, in various districts across the country.
- (vi) Social Security Insurance Schemes :  This Ministry has provided insurance benefits  to  Anganwadi  Workers  and  Helpers  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Jeevan  Jyoti BimaYojana (PMJJBY) for life cover of 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  Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojana for accidental cover of  Rs.2.00  Lakh  (accidental  death  and permanent full disability) /Rs. 1.00 Lakh (partial but permanent disability) to AWWs and AWHs in the age group of 18-59 years.

Now, this Ministry has decided to provide insurance cover under PMJJBY and PMSBY to AWWs/AWHs through their bank accounts and the funds towards premium payment will be released to the States/UTs on the prescribed cost sharing ratio under Anganwadi Services (General component).

- (ix) Insurance cover under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package : Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers who have been engaged with the Covid-19 related tasks,  have  been  provided  with  insurance  cover  of  Rs.50  lakh  under  "Pradhan MantriGaribKalyan Package" with certain conditions.

(x) 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 on voluntary. The age of entry to the Scheme is 18-40 years. PM-SYM is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme on 50:50 basis where prescribed age-specific contribution shall be made by the beneficiary and the matching contribution by the Central  Government  for  availing  the  assured  pension  of ₹3,000/-  per  month  on attaining the age of 60 years. In  respect  of  ASHA  Workers,  it  is  stated  that  ASHAs  are  envisaged  to  be community health volunteers and only entitled to task/activity based incentives.   ASHAs  receive  a  fixed  monthly  incentive  for  routine  and  recurring activities.

*******