Executive Summary:
This document presents the Indian government's response to questions regarding the institutional capacity and workforce status within the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) system. It details the sanctioned, in-position, and vacant posts across States/UTs, the honorarium structure for Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Helpers (AWHs), and additional incentives provided by States/UTs. The information is based on data provided by States/UTs up to July 2025, with honorarium enhancements effective from October 1, 2018.
Key Points / Main Content:
ICDS Staffing and Vacancies:
* The Central Government is responsible for policy and planning, while State Governments/UT Administrations handle day-to-day program implementation, including staff recruitment.
* State/UT-wise details of sanctioned, in-position, and vacant posts at various levels are provided in Annexure I.
* The filling of vacant posts is regularly addressed with State Governments/UT Administrations through sustained engagements and video conferences.
Honorarium Structure for AWWs and AWHs:
* AWWs and AWHs are honorary workers paid an honorarium, which is increased periodically.
* Effective October 1, 2018, the Government of India enhanced the honorarium for AWWs at Anganwadi centers (AWCs) to Rs. 4,500 per month, AWWs at mini AWCs to Rs. 3,500 per month, and AWHs to Rs. 2,250 per month, based on a defined cost-sharing ratio between the Center and States/UTs.
* States/UTs also provide additional monetary incentives/top-ups to these functionaries from their own resources, varying by State (details in Annexure II).
* Performance-linked incentives of Rs. 500 per month for AWWs and Rs. 250 per month for AWHs are provided.
* There is currently no proposal under consideration for further enhancement of honorariums for AWWs and AWHs.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments/UT Administrations:
* Impact: Responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme, including staff recruitment and payment of honorariums and additional incentives.
* Action Required: Continue to fill vacant posts, manage staff, and ensure timely payment of honorariums and incentives.
Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs):
* Impact: Receive honorariums and performance-linked incentives for their services in child care and development, with varying additional top-ups provided by States/UTs.
* Action Required: Continue to provide services in their respective areas, meeting performance standards to qualify for incentives.
Central Government:
* Impact: Responsible for policy and planning of the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme.
* Action Required: Continue sustained engagement with State Governments/UT Administrations through video conferences.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Women and Child Development: The Government of India ministry responsible for policies and programs related to women and children.
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): A government program in India providing services to children under 6 years of age and their mothers.
Anganwadi Workers (AWWs): Community health workers in India who deliver ICDS services at the Anganwadi level.
Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs): Assistants to Anganwadi Workers, supporting the delivery of ICDS services.
Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs): Officers responsible for the implementation of ICDS projects at the block level.
Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: A centrally sponsored scheme of the Government of India focused on Anganwadi services and nutrition.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India that is providing additional honorarium to AWWs and AWHs.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India that is providing additional honorarium to AWWs and AWHs.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 3371
TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2025
INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY AND WORKFORCE STATUS IN ICDS
3371. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI :
Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:
(a) the number of sanctioned posts and actual staff strength in position across the Integrated
Child Development Services (ICDS) system in India, including Anganwadi Workers
(AWWs), Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs), Supervisors, Child Development Project Officers
(CDPOs), District Programme Officers (DPOs), Statistical Assistants, Data Entry Operators,
Social Welfare Officers and other supporting staff involved in the implementation and
administration of ICDS;
(b) the number of vacancies in each of these categories, State/UT-wise;
(c) whether the Government has undertaken any recent assessment / audit of institutional and
human resource capacity gaps in functioning of Anganwadi centres and ICDS administration,
if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the details of honorarium/wage structure applicable to Anganwadi Workers and Helpers
across different States and Union Territories along with any proposal for revision to the said
rates?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) to (d) 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 including recruitment of staff for
implementation of the scheme. The matter regarding filling up of vacant posts at various levels is
regularly taken up with the State Governments/ UT Administrations through sustained
engagements/video conferences. The State/UT wise details of sanctioned, in-position and vacant
posts at various levels as per the information provided by States/ UTs is placed at Annexure I.
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 theCentre & States/UTs. In addition, States/UTs are also paying additional monetary incentives/top ups
to these functionaries from their own resources which vary from State to State. Details of additional
top ups provided by States/ UTs are at Annexure II.
Besides, performance linked incentive of Rs.500/- is provided to AWWs and Rs.250/- per month to
AWHs.
At present, there is no proposal under consideration for enhancement of honorarium of AWWs and
AWHs.
********Annexure I
Statement referred to in reply to Part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3371 to
be answered on 08.08.2025 regarding “Institutional Capacity and Workforce Status in ICDS”
State/UT wise details of sanctioned, in-position and vacant posts at various levels under Mission
Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 as per the information provided by States/ UTs upto July, 2025
is as under:
S. State/UT CDPO Supervisor AWW AWH
No
Sancti In- Vaca Sanctione In- Vaca Sanction In- Vacant Sanctio In- Vacant
oned Positio nt (As d (As per Positio nt (As ed Positio (As per ned Position (As per
n per State) n per n State) State)
State) State)
Andhra
1 Pradesh 257 205 52 1951 1537 698 55969 54944 1025 55969 47356 8613
2 Bihar 544 389 155 4210 2803 1407 115097 110161 4936 115097 99990 15107
3 Chhattisgarh 220 191 29 1866 1706 160 52642 52002 640 52642 50359 2283
4 Gujarat 336 158 178 2122 1705 417 53065 50277 2788 53065 48897 4168
5 Haryana 148 59 89 1016 890 126 25962 23194 2768 25450 20716 4734
Himachal
6 Pradesh 78 47 31 757 597 160 18925 18580 345 18925 17759 1166
Jammu &
7 Kashmir 128 97 31 1137 951 186 28426 28082 344 28426 27972 454
8 Jharkhand 224 56 168 1344 667 677 38,957 37812 1145 38957 36510 2447
9 Karnataka 204 162 42 2503 1776 727 66098 66098 0 66098 59298 6800
10 Kerala 258 256 2 1327 1238 89 33120 33051 69 33120 33066 54
Madhya
11 Pradesh 453 295 158 3379 2749 1136 97882 95058 2824 97882 79598 18284
12 Maharashtra 553 233 320 3899 2496 1403 110664 108560 2104 110664 104527 6137
13 Odisha 338 325 13 2922 1984 566 74223 73475 748 74223 71964 2259
14 Punjab 155 86 69 1046 630 416 27314 25343 1971 27314 23239 4075
15 Rajasthan 304 235 69 2232 1460 772 62196 60625 1571 62196 59308 2888
16 Tamil Nadu 434 255 179 1980 1168 614 54,481 43940 10541 49541 34663 14878
17 Telangana 149 149 0 1440 1250 190 35781 32782 2999 35781 23506 12275
18 Uttar Pradesh 897 614 283 6643 1783 4860 190146 182348 7798 190116 128811 61305
19 Uttarakhand 105 95 10 597 454 143 20070 19778 292 20070 17658 2412
20 West Bengal 576 242 334 4779 2472 2307 119481 105210 14271 119481 95750 23731
Arunachal
21 Pradesh 98 84 14 263 205 58 6225 6225 0 6225 6225 0
22 Assam 230 210 20 2269 1917 363 62142 59801 2341 62135 52911 9224
23 Manipur 43 36 7 391 370 21 11585 10747 838 11585 9231 2354
24 Meghalaya 41 33 8 222 219 3 6188 6153 35 6188 6119 69
25 Mizoram 27 27 0 90 90 0 2285 2244 41 2285 2244 41
26 Nagaland 60 60 0 167 167 0 3980 3980 0 3980 3980 0
27 Sikkim 13 13 0 58 58 0 1308 1308 0 1308 1308 0
28 Tripura 57 44 13 436 335 101 10474 10275 199 10474 10275 199
Andaman &
29 Nicobar 5 5 0 28 26 2 720 720 0 720 719 1
30 Goa 11 11 0 50 50 0 1262 1240 22 1262 1191 7131 Puducherry 5 0 0 34 0 34 855 582 273 855 696 159
32 Chandigarh 3 3 1 18 18 0 450 435 15 450 439 11
33 Ladakh 13 0 13 42 34 9 1173 1163 10 1173 1153 20
34 Delhi 95 46 49 432 307 125 10897 10488 409 10897 10833 64
Dadra &
Nagar Haveli
and Daman
35 & Diu 4 2 2 17 10 7 405 404 1 405 397 8
36 Lakshadweep 9 0 9 4 0 4 59 58 1 59 56 3
Total 7075 4723 2348 51671 34122 17781 1400507 1337143 63364 1395018 1188724 206294Annexure II
Statement referred to in reply to Part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3371 to
be answered on 08.08.2025 regarding “Institutional Capacity and Workforce Status in ICDS”
Details of additional top ups provided by States/ UTs as per Annual Programme Implementation Plan
(APIP) 2025-26:
Sr. State Additional Honorarium paid to Additional Honorarium paid to
No. AWWs (per month) AWHs (per month)
1 Andhra Pradesh 7,000 4,750
2 Bihar 2,500 1,750
3 Chhattisgarh 5,500 2,750
4 Gujarat 5,500 3,250
5 Haryana 10,250 5,650
6 Himachal Pradesh 5,500 3,250
7 Jammu & Kashmir 600 300
8 Jharkhand 5,000 2,500
9 Karnataka 7,000 4,500
10 Kerala 5,700 4,300
11 Madhya Pradesh 8,500 4,250
12 Maharashtra 8,500 5,250
13 Odisha 5,500 2,750
14 Punjab 5,500-6,500 2,750-3,250
15 Rajasthan 5,510 3,674
16 Tamil Nadu 3,200 1,850
17 Telangana 9,150 5,550
18 Uttar Pradesh 1,500 750
19 Uttarakhand 4,800 3,000
20 West Bengal 4,500 4,550
21 Arunachal Pradesh 3,000 3,000
22 Assam 2,000 1,000
23 Manipur 1,000 600
24 Meghalaya 3,000 1,000
25 Mizoram 450 500
26 Nagaland Nil Nil
27 Sikkim 7,000 4,500
28 Tripura 3,500-5,946 2,750-4218
29 Andaman & Nicobar 7,500 5,750
30 Goa 5,500 -13,500 3,750 - 6,750
31 Puducherry 1,950 2,125
32 Chandigarh 3,600 1,800
33 Ladakh 1,300 650
34 Delhi 6,720 3,360
35 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and 3,500 1,750
Daman & Diu
36 Lakshadweep 5,500 4,750
*******