Lok Sabha Question No. 2022 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-06
Subject: ICDS Scheme
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dr. D. Purandeswari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2022

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2024

## ICDS SCHEME

## 2022.  SMT. DAGGUBATI PURANDESWARI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  data  regarding  the  performance  of  Integrated Child  Development  Scheme  (ICDS)  run  through  Anganwadis  in  Andhra Pradesh and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has noticed that anganwadi workers are the centre point of primary healthcare in India and if so, the details of steps being taken for their welfare; and
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  increase  honorarium  to  anganwadi workers and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) During the 15 th  Finance Commission (FC) period, various components such as nutritional support for children from 6 months to the age of 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers and Adolescent Girls; Early Childhood Care and Education of children  (3-6  years)  and  Anganwadi  infrastructure  including  modern,  upgraded Saksham Anganwadi have been reorganised under an umbrella Mission Saksham Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0  (Mission  Poshan  2.0).  The  package  of  following  six services  is  provided  under  the  Mission  Poshan  2.0  scheme  through  a  network  of Anganwadi centres across the country:

- i. Supplementary Nutrition (SNP),
- ii. Pre-school Non-formal Education,
- iii. Nutrition & Health Education,
- iv. Immunization,
- v. Health Check-up,
- vi. Referral Services

Three of the six services, viz., Immunization, Health Check-up and Referral Services are related to health and are provided through National Health Mission (NHM) & Public Health Infrastructure.

The beneficiaries under Mission Poshan 2.0 are children up to the age of 6 years, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers across the country and Adolescent Girls in the age group of 14 to 18 years in Aspirational Districts of States and all districts of North  Eastern  Region.  Under  the  scheme,  a  total  of  31,64,138  beneficiaries  are registered in 55607 operational Anagwnadi centres on Poshan Tracker as on October, 2024 in the State of Andhra Pradesh.

Government of India increased the honorarium of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)/Anganwadi  Helpers  (AWHs)  from  1 st   October,  2018.  At  present,  the honorarium of AWW at main Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) is Rs.4,500/- per month; AWW at mini-  AWCs is  Rs.3,500/-  per  month  and  AWH  is  Rs.2,250/-  per  month. 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.

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 (PMSYM) 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.

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. Besides under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, IT systems through the Poshan Tracker App have been leveraged to reduce the workload which has digitized

& automated nine physical registers out of eleven prepared and used by AWWs.

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