Lok Sabha Question No. 2232 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-29
Subject: Regularisation of Anganwadi Workers/ Helpers
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: AJAY NISHAD, NANABHAU FALGUNRAO PATOLE, MEKAPATI RAJAMOHAN REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2232 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2016

## REGULARISATION OF ANGANWADI WORKERS/HELPERS

## +2232. SHRI AJAY NISHAD:

SHRI NANA PATOLE:

SHRI M. RAJA MOHAN REDDY:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to regularise the services of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)/helpers,  currently  working  as  honorary  workers  in  the  country,  if  so,  the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether number of posts of AWWs/helpers are lying vacant in the country, if so, the details  thereof,  State/UT-wise  along  with  the  reaction  of  the  Government  for  their filling;
- (c) whether the honorarium being paid  to the AWWs/helpers in the country differ from State  to  State  and  is  even  lower  than  the  wages  paid  under  the  Mahatma  Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005 and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  response  of  the  Government  to  revise/enhance  the  honorarium  rate  so  as  to make it uniform in the country and at par with MGNREGA;
- (e) whether  the  Government  provides  social  security  benefits  including  insurance  to AWWs/helpers,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  indicating  the  number  of  beneficiaries thereunder during each of the last three years and the current year state/UT-wise; and
- (f) the further measures taken by the Government to improve the working condition of AWWs/helpers?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KRISHNA RAJ)

- (a) No, Madam. At present, there is no proposal under consideration of the Government to regularize services of Anganwadi Workers/Helpers. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme envisages the Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) as 'honorary workers' from the local community who come forward to render  their  services, on  part  time  basis,  in  the  area  of  child  care  and development.  In  view  of  the  very  nature  of  the  role  of  AWWs  and  AWHs  in  the Integrated  Child  Development  Services  Scheme,  these  functionaries  cannot  be declared as government employees.
- (b) The number of posts of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) lying vacant in the country as on 31.03.2016 are as under:

| Posts   | Sanctioned   | In-position   | Vacant   |
|---------|--------------|---------------|----------|
| AWWs    | 14,00,000    | 12,86,286     | 1,13,714 |
| AWHs    | 12,83,150    | 11,63,941     | 1,19,209 |

State/UT-wise details are given at Annex-I .

Implementation of ICDS Scheme including filling up of vacancies is the responsibility of  States/UTs.  MWCD  has  repeatedly  impressed  upon  the  State  Governments/  UT Administrations through review meetings, letters etc. to take all required measures for early filling up of vacant posts.

(c) &

- (d) Anganwadi  Workers  (AWWs)/Helpers,  being  honorary  workers,  are  paid  monthly honoraria as decided by the Government from time to time. Presently, AWWs and AWHs are paid honoraria @ Rs.3,000/- and Rs.1,500/- per month respectively w.e.f. 01-04-2011.  AWWs  of  Mini  -  AWCs  are  being  paid  honoraria  @  Rs.2,250/-  w.e.f. 04-07-2013.  Apart  from  these,  monetary  incentives  are  paid  by  most  of  the  State Governments / UT Administrations from their own resources. A statement showing additional  honoraria  paid  by  different  States/UTs  to  the  AWWs/AWHs  is  given  at Annex-II .

Under MGNREGA, people of rural areas are given hundred days of wage employment in a financial year to every household. Whereas, under ICDS Scheme, AWWs/AWHs are  honorary  workers,  who  are  paid  monthly  honorarium  throughout  the  year  till their  dis-engagement.  The  payment  of  honorarium  to  AWWs/Helpers  by  the Government and payment of wages to workers under MGNREGA are distinct from each other. There is no proposal under consideration of the Government to revise the honorarium rate to make it at par with MGNREGA.

- (e) Under  the  Social  Security  benefits,  the  Government  launched  the  Anganwadi Karyakartri  Bima  Yojana  (AKBY)  w.e.f.  01-04-2004  in  association  with  the  Life Insurance  Corporation  of  India  (LIC)  as  a  welfare  measure  for  the  benefit  of Anganwadi  Workers  (AWWs)  and  Anganwadi  Helpers  (AWHs).  The  Scheme  is operated through the Social Security Group Scheme of LIC. The salient features of the AKBY are as under:
- i) The Scheme is applicable to all AWWs and AWHs in the age group of 18-59 years;
- ii) The premium under the Scheme is Rs.280/- per annum per member. The breakup is as under:
-  Rs.100/- from Social Security Fund of LIC;
-  Rs.100/- by the Government of India;
-  Rs.80/- by the Anganwadi Worker/ Helper (additional for female critical illness of the insured member). The premium of Rs.80/- payable by these workers towards critical illness has been waived off till 31-03-2017.
- iii) The Scheme provides the following compensation:
- 
- Natural Death: Rs.30,000/-
-  Accident benefit:
- 
- Death/ Total permanent disability
- 

Rs.75,000/-

- Partial Permanent disability Rs.37,500/-
-  Female Critical Illness (FCI) Benefits: An amount of Rs.20,000/- is payable on the diagnosis of invasive cancers (malignant tumour) manifest in the following organs (subject to proof of affliction satisfactory to Corporation):
-  Breast
-  Cervix Uteri
-  Corpus Uteri
-  Ovaries
-  Fallopian Tubes
-  Vaginal/Vulva
-  Shiksha Sahayog Yojana

A free add-on scholarship benefit is available for the children of AWWs and AWHs. Scholarship of Rs.300/- per quarter for students of 9 th to 12 th Standard (including ITI courses) is available but it is limited to two children per family.

The number of beneficiaries [AWWs/Helpers] availing Social Security benefits, viz., insurance during the last three years given at Annex-III. The details for current year is the number shown in position at Annexure-I

- (f) The  following  measures  have  been  taken  by  the  government  for  improving  the working condition of AWWs/Helpers:
-  Award: In order to motivate the Anganwadi  Workers and give recognition to good voluntary work, a Scheme of Award for AWWs has been introduced,  both  at  the  National  and  State  level.  The  Award  comprises Rs.25,000/- Cash and a Citation at Central level and Rs.5,000/- Cash and a Citation at State level.
-  Uniform: Government  has  made  a  provision  for  a  set  of  two  Uniform (saree/suit  @  Rs.300/-  per  saree  per  annum)  and  a  name  badge  to Anganwadi Worker and Helper.

Apart from the above, the following facilities are also being extended to AWWs/AWHs:

-  20 days' casual leave per year;
-  Paid absence on maternity of 180 days;
-  Reservation of 50% of vacant posts of Supervisors for Anganwadi Workers;
-  Recruitment of 25% of Anganwadi Workers from amongst AWHs.

****

ANNEX-I

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2232 FOR 29.07.2016

State-wise  number  of  vacant  honorary  posts  of  Anganwadi  Workers  (AWWs)  and Helpers (AWHs) in the country as on 31.03.2016

| Sl.   |                   | No. of AWWs       | No. of AWWs   | No. of AWWs   | No. of AWHs       | No. of AWHs   | No. of AWHs   |
|-------|-------------------|-------------------|---------------|---------------|-------------------|---------------|---------------|
| No.   | State/UT          | Sanctioned by GOI | In- position  | Vacant        | Sanctioned by GOI | In- position  | Vacant        |
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh    | 55607             | 54248         | 1359          | 48768             | 45828         | 2940          |
| 2     | Telangana         | 35700             | 33284         | 2416          | 31711             | 28802         | 2909          |
| 3     | Arunachal Pradesh | 6225              | 6028          | 197           | 6225              | 6028          | 197           |
| 4     | Assam             | 62153             | 62153         | 0             | 56728             | 56728         | 0             |
| 5     | Bihar             | 115009            | 85980         | 29029         | 107894            | 80176         | 27718         |
| 6     | Chhattisgarh      | 52474             | 48632         | 3842          | 46660             | 42329         | 4331          |
| 7     | Goa               | 1262              | 1233          | 29            | 1262              | 1225          | 37            |
| 8     | Gujarat           | 53029             | 50515         | 2514          | 51229             | 47704         | 3525          |
| 9     | Haryana           | 25962             | 25078         | 884           | 25450             | 24681         | 769           |
| 10    | Himachal Pradesh  | 18925             | 18619         | 306           | 18386             | 18049         | 337           |
| 11    | Jammu & Kashmir   | 31938             | 28707         | 3231          | 31938             | 29599         | 2339          |
| 12    | Jharkhand         | 38432             | 35765         | 2667          | 35881             | 33493         | 2388          |
| 13    | Karnataka         | 65911             | 63186         | 2725          | 62580             | 59026         | 3554          |
| 14    | Kerala            | 33318             | 33110         | 208           | 33189             | 32971         | 218           |
| 15    | Madhya Pradesh    | 97135             | 91273         | 5862          | 84465             | 79028         | 5437          |
| 16    | Maharashtra       | 110486            | 105754        | 4732          | 97475             | 92128         | 5347          |
| 17    | Manipur           | 11510             | 10274         | 1236          | 9958              | 9497          | 461           |
| 18    | Meghalaya         | 5896              | 5861          | 35            | 4630              | 4623          | 7             |
| 19    | Mizoram           | 2244              | 2244          | 0             | 2244              | 2157          | 87            |
| 20    | Nagaland          | 3980              | 3455          | 525           | 3980              | 3455          | 525           |
| 21    | Odisha            | 74154             | 68980         | 5174          | 63738             | 59620         | 4118          |
| 22    | Punjab            | 27314             | 26355         | 959           | 26074             | 25096         | 978           |
| 23    | Rajasthan         | 62010             | 58112         | 3898          | 55806             | 50976         | 4830          |
| 24    | Sikkim            | 1308              | 1289          | 19            | 1308              | 1285          | 23            |
| 25    | Tamil Nadu        | 54439             | 40901         | 13538         | 49499             | 37125         | 12374         |
| 26    | Tripura           | 10145             | 9911          | 234           | 10145             | 9911          | 234           |
| 27    | Uttar Pradesh     | 190145            | 174775        | 15370         | 167855            | 153153        | 14702         |
| 28    | Uttrakhand        | 20067             | 18967         | 1100          | 14947             | 13874         | 1073          |
| 29    | West Bengal       | 119481            | 108211        | 11270         | 119481            | 102015        | 17466         |
| 30    | A & N Islands     | 720               | 720           | 0             | 689               | 689           | 0             |
| 31    | Chandigarh        | 500               | 500           | 0             | 500               | 500           | 0             |
| 32    | Delhi             | 11150             | 10806         | 344           | 11150             | 10897         | 253           |
| 33    | Dadra & N Haveli  | 302               | 302           | 0             | 247               | 220           | 27            |
| 34    | Daman & Diu       | 107               | 96            | 11            | 107               | 102           | 5             |
| 35    | Lakshadweep       | 107               | 107           | 0             | 96                | 96            | 0             |
| 36    | Puducherry        | 855               | 855           | 0             | 855               | 855           | 0             |
|       | Total             | 1400000           | 1286286       | 113714        | 1283150           | 1163941       | 119209        |

Annexure-II

## Statement indicating additional monthly honorarium paid to AWWs/AWHs by the States/UTs. from their own resources

| S.No.   | States/UTs         | Additional honorarium given by States/UTs (In Rs.)                                                    | Additional honorarium given by States/UTs (In Rs.)                                                    |
|---------|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.   | States/UTs         | AWW                                                                                                   | AWH                                                                                                   |
| 1       | Tamilnadu          | 5940 (non-standardized scale of pay that includes pay-2500, GP-500,HRA- 500,CCA-180,MA-100 & DA-2160) | 3532 (non-standardized scale of pay that includes pay-1300, GP-300,HRA-500,CCA- 180,MA-100 & DA-1152) |
| 2       | Goa                | 3000-4200                                                                                             | 1700-2300                                                                                             |
| 3       | Tripura            | 2865                                                                                                  | 1924                                                                                                  |
| 4       | Sikkim             | 2225                                                                                                  | 1500                                                                                                  |
| 5       | Delhi              | 2000 p.m. as addl. honorarium + 300 p.m. as 10% cost share of honorarium                              | 1000 p.m. as addl. honorarium +150 p.m. as 10% cost share of honorarium                               |
| 6       | Andaman & Nicobar  | 2000                                                                                                  | 1500                                                                                                  |
| 7       | Madhya Pradesh     | 2000                                                                                                  | 1000                                                                                                  |
| 8       | Karnataka          | 2000                                                                                                  | 1000                                                                                                  |
| 9       | Haryana            | 2500                                                                                                  | 1000                                                                                                  |
| 10      | Lakshdweep         | 1600                                                                                                  | 1000                                                                                                  |
| 11      | Chandigarh         | 1600                                                                                                  | 800                                                                                                   |
| 12      | Punjab             | 2000                                                                                                  | 1000                                                                                                  |
| 13      | Uttarakhand        | 1500                                                                                                  | 750                                                                                                   |
| 14      | West Bengal        | 1300                                                                                                  | 1300                                                                                                  |
| 15      | Rajasthan          | 1330                                                                                                  | 815                                                                                                   |
| 16      | Gujarat            | 1250                                                                                                  | 600                                                                                                   |
| 17      | Maharashtra        | 1050                                                                                                  | 500                                                                                                   |
| 18      | Kerala             | 2000                                                                                                  | 2000                                                                                                  |
| 19      | Daman & Diu        | 1000                                                                                                  | 600                                                                                                   |
| 20      | Dadra Nagar Heveli | 1000                                                                                                  | 600                                                                                                   |
| 21      | Chhattisgarh       | 1000                                                                                                  | 500                                                                                                   |
| 22      | Andhra Pradesh     | 1200                                                                                                  | 700                                                                                                   |
| 23      | Jharkhand          | 700                                                                                                   | 350                                                                                                   |
| 24      | Jammu & Kashmir    | 600                                                                                                   | 340                                                                                                   |
| 25      | Assam              | 1000                                                                                                  | 500                                                                                                   |
| 26      | Odisha             | 1000                                                                                                  | 500                                                                                                   |
| 27      | Himachal Pradesh   | 300                                                                                                   | 200                                                                                                   |
| 28      | Puducherry         | 600                                                                                                   | 300                                                                                                   |
| 29      | Uttar Pradesh      | 200                                                                                                   | 100                                                                                                   |
| 30      | Manipur            | 100                                                                                                   | 50                                                                                                    |
| 31      | Meghalaya          | Nil                                                                                                   | Nil                                                                                                   |
| 32      | Bihar              | Nil                                                                                                   | Nil                                                                                                   |
| 33      | Arunachal Pradesh  | Nil                                                                                                   | Nil                                                                                                   |
| 34      | Nagaland           | Nil                                                                                                   | Nil                                                                                                   |
| 35      | Mizoram            | Nil                                                                                                   | Nil                                                                                                   |
| 36.     | Telangana          | 4000 (w.e.f. 1.3.2015)                                                                                | 3000 (w.e.f. 1.3.2015)                                                                                |

Annex-III

## Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  Part  (e)  of  Lok  Sabha  Un-starred  Question  No.  2232  for 29.07.2016

## State-wise social security benefits viz. insurance to AWWs/ Helpers during each of the last three years

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | No. of AWWs Sanctioned by GOI   | No. of AWWs in-position during   | No. of AWWs in-position during   | No. of AWWs in-position during   | No. of AWWs Sanctioned by GOI   | No. of Helpers in-position during   | No. of Helpers in-position during   | No. of Helpers in-position during   |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | No. of AWWs Sanctioned by GOI   | 2013-14                          | 2014-15                          | 2015-16                          | No. of AWWs Sanctioned by GOI   | 2013-14                             | 2014-15                             | 2015-16                             |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    | 55607                           | 85761                            | 53561                            | 54248                            | 48768                           | 75718                               | 46321                               | 45828                               |
| 2         | Telangana         | 35700                           |                                  | 33518                            | 33284                            | 31711                           |                                     | 29320                               | 28802                               |
| 3         | Arunachal Pradesh | 6225                            | 6028                             | 6028                             | 6028                             | 6225                            | 6028                                | 6028                                | 6028                                |
| 4         | Assam             | 62153                           | 62153                            | 62153                            | 62153                            | 56728                           | 56728                               | 56728                               | 56728                               |
| 5         | Bihar             | 115009                          | 91677                            | 85354                            | 85980                            | 107894                          | 86237                               | 76776                               | 80176                               |
| 6         | Chhattisgarh      | 52474                           | 48901                            | 48901                            | 48632                            | 46660                           | 42523                               | 42523                               | 42329                               |
| 7         | Goa               | 1262                            | 1245                             | 1230                             | 1233                             | 1262                            | 1250                                | 1241                                | 1225                                |
| 8         | Gujarat           | 53029                           | 48536                            | 50610                            | 50515                            | 51229                           | 46148                               | 47860                               | 47704                               |
| 9         | Haryana           | 25962                           | 25078                            | 25078                            | 25078                            | 25450                           | 24681                               | 24681                               | 24681                               |
| 10        | Himachal Pradesh  | 18925                           | 18763                            | 18771                            | 18619                            | 18386                           | 18206                               | 18155                               | 18049                               |
| 11        | Jammu & Kashmir   | 31938                           | 28483                            | 28707                            | 28707                            | 31938                           | 28483                               | 29599                               | 29599                               |
| 12        | Jharkhand         | 38432                           | 34309                            | 35731                            | 35765                            | 35881                           | 31890                               | 32795                               | 33493                               |
| 13        | Karnataka         | 65911                           | 63183                            | 63186                            | 63186                            | 62580                           | 59110                               | 59026                               | 59026                               |
| 14        | Kerala            | 33318                           | 33087                            | 33110                            | 33110                            | 33189                           | 32953                               | 32956                               | 32971                               |
| 15        | Madhya Pradesh    | 97135                           | 84940                            | 90430                            | 91273                            | 84465                           | 77450                               | 78488                               | 79028                               |
| 16        | Maharashtra       | 110486                          | 105118                           | 105262                           | 105754                           | 97475                           | 92252                               | 92128                               | 92128                               |
| 17        | Manipur           | 11510                           | 10274                            | 10274                            | 10274                            | 9958                            | 9497                                | 9497                                | 9497                                |
| 18        | Meghalaya         | 5896                            | 3922                             | 5309                             | 5861                             | 4630                            | 3920                                | 4003                                | 4623                                |
| 19        | Mizoram           | 2244                            | 1969                             | 2244                             | 2244                             | 2244                            | 1893                                | 2157                                | 2157                                |
| 20        | Nagaland          | 3980                            | 3455                             | 3455                             | 3455                             | 3980                            | 3455                                | 3455                                | 3455                                |
| 21        | Odisha            | 74154                           | 68400                            | 68865                            | 68980                            | 63738                           | 59337                               | 59507                               | 59620                               |
| 22        | Punjab            | 27314                           | 26408                            | 26177                            | 26355                            | 26074                           | 25075                               | 25035                               | 25096                               |
| 23        | Rajasthan         | 62010                           | 58308                            | 58452                            | 58112                            | 55806                           | 52054                               | 51831                               | 50976                               |
| 24        | Sikkim            | 1308                            | 1223                             | 1275                             | 1289                             | 1308                            | 1214                                | 1274                                | 1285                                |
| 25        | Tamil Nadu        | 54439                           | 46557                            | 44037                            | 40901                            | 49499                           | 41348                               | 39376                               | 37125                               |
| 26        | Tripura           | 10145                           | 9911                             | 9911                             | 9911                             | 10145                           | 9911                                | 9911                                | 9911                                |
| 27        | Uttar Pradesh     | 190145                          | 176221                           | 176059                           | 174775                           | 167855                          | 154665                              | 154122                              | 153153                              |
| 28        | Uttrakhand        | 20067                           | 19001                            | 18978                            | 18967                            | 14947                           | 13964                               | 13953                               | 13874                               |
| 29        | West Bengal       | 119481                          | 107486                           | 107916                           | 108211                           | 119481                          | 102933                              | 102503                              | 102015                              |
| 30        | A & N Islands     | 720                             | 710                              | 710                              | 720                              | 689                             | 689                                 | 689                                 | 689                                 |
| 31        | Chandigarh        | 500                             | 500                              | 500                              | 500                              | 500                             | 500                                 | 500                                 | 500                                 |
| 32        | Delhi             | 11150                           | 10806                            | 10806                            | 10806                            | 11150                           | 10897                               | 10897                               | 10897                               |
| 33        | Dadra & N Haveli  | 302                             | 262                              | 262                              | 302                              | 247                             | 220                                 | 220                                 | 220                                 |
| 34        | Daman & Diu       | 107                             | 102                              | 96                               | 96                               | 107                             | 100                                 | 102                                 | 102                                 |
| 35        | Lakshadweep       | 107                             | 107                              | 107                              | 107                              | 96                              | 96                                  | 96                                  | 96                                  |
| 36        | Puducherry        | 855                             | 788                              | 788                              | 855                              | 855                             | 788                                 | 788                                 | 855                                 |
|           | Total             | 1400000                         | 1283672                          | 1287851                          | 1286286                          | 1283150                         | 1172213                             | 1164541                             | 1163941                             |