Change in Nomenclature of Anganwadi Worker’s Honorarium

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?

(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.

(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. 1st 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 1st 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.

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