Executive Summary:
This document is a response to questions regarding Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) under the POSHAN scheme. It clarifies the central government's role in policy and planning versus state/UT administration responsibility for program implementation. The statement addresses honorarium, incentives, technological empowerment, promotional opportunities, leave policies, pension schemes, social security insurance, uniform retirement dates, and healthcare coverage for AWWs and AWHs. As of the answer date, there is no proposal to increase honorariums under consideration.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Honorarium and Incentives:**
* The Central Government does not currently have a proposal to increase the honorarium for AWWs and AWHs.
* Honorariums were previously enhanced on October 1, 2018: AWWs at Anganwadi centers receive Rs.4,500 per month; AWWs at mini AWCs receive Rs.3,500 per month; AWHs receive Rs.2,250 per month.
* Performance-linked incentives are provided: Rs.500 per month for AWWs and Rs.250 per month for AWHs.
* States/UTs may provide additional monetary incentives from their own resources.
* **Technological Empowerment:**
* AWWs are provided with smartphones for efficient monitoring and service delivery.
* The Poshan Tracker mobile app digitizes physical registers, improving work quality and enabling real-time monitoring.
* **Promotional Opportunities:**
* 50% of Anganwadi Worker posts are to be filled by Anganwadi Helpers with 5 years of experience.
* 50% of Supervisor posts are to be filled by promotion of Anganwadi Workers with 5 years of experience, subject to fulfilling other criteria.
* **Leave Policies:**
* AWWs and AWHs are entitled to 20 days of annual leave.
* Paid maternity absence of 180 days is provided.
* Paid absence on abortion/miscarriage is provided once for 45 days.
* **Social Security and Pension:**
* States/UTs are requested to encourage enrollment in the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan (PMSYM) Pension Scheme.
* Insurance benefits are provided under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) for life cover (Rs. 2.00 lakh) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana for accidental cover (Rs. 2.00 Lakh for accidental death and permanent full disability, Rs. 1.00 Lakh for partial but permanent disability).
* **Retirement:**
* States and UTs have been requested to adopt a uniform retirement date of April 30th each year.
* **Healthcare:**
* Annual healthcare coverage of Rs. 5 Lakhs is to be provided under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY) to all Anganwadi workers and helpers.
Impact Analysis:
* **Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs):**
* Impact: Current honorarium levels remain unchanged. Benefit from existing incentives, technological tools, promotional avenues, leave policies, social security schemes, and healthcare coverage.
* Action Required: Utilize provided smartphones and Poshan Tracker for efficient service delivery. Consider enrolling in PMSYM.
* **State Governments/UT Administrations:**
* Impact: Retain responsibility for day-to-day program implementation and may supplement central honorariums. Need to facilitate AWW/AWH enrollment in PMSYM and ensure uniform retirement date implementation.
* Action Required: Continue program implementation. Consider providing additional monetary incentives. Encourage AWW/AWH enrollment in PMSYM. Implement uniform retirement date.
Key Entities Referenced
POSHAN Scheme: A scheme under which Anganwadi workers and helpers are engaged, focusing on nutrition and related services.
Anganwadi Workers (AWWs): Honorary workers from the local community who provide child care and development services.
Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs): Assist Anganwadi Workers in their duties and responsibilities.
Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: A centrally sponsored scheme focused on strengthening Anganwadi services and improving nutritional outcomes.
Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan (PMSYM): A voluntary and contributory pension scheme for workers in the unorganized sector.
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY): An insurance scheme providing life cover.
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana: An insurance scheme providing accidental death and disability cover.
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY): A health insurance scheme providing annual healthcare coverage.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2114
TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2025
AWWS AND AWHS UNDER POSHAN SCHEME
2114. DR. RICKY ANDREW J SYNGKON:
Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is considering a proposal to increase the honorarium of
Anganwadi workers and helpers engaged under the POSHAN scheme;
(b) if so, the details thereof, including the proposed amount and timeline for
implementation;
(c) whether the Government has received representations from states or worker
associations demanding wage revision in view of rising cost of living and workload, if
so, the details thereof; and
(d) the measures being taken to improve the working conditions, ensure timely payment
and extend social security benefits such as health insurance, pension and maternity
benefits to POSHAN workers?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) to (d) Currently no such proposal is under consideration. 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 1st 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.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.
(v) Retirement date: States and UTs have been requested to adopt a uniform retirement
date i.e 30th 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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