Salary Of Anganwadi, ICDS Anganwadi Salary, Anganwadi Sevika Salary After 7th Pay Commission
Malnutrition is one of the major problems in India. According to Global Hunger Index of last year India ranks 20th in the world based on number of the number of malnourished children. And this problem isn’t anything new – it has existed in country since decades. To improve the situation Government of India started an Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program in 1975. The program aimed to combat malnutrition and other problems related to child development with help from special workers who’d be familiar with rural circumstances and people. The workers were given the name of “Anganwadi workers.” Four decades have passed since the beginning of program but problem of malnutrition still exists. And while there’re many reasons behind the existence of this problem, one of them is underpayment (or in some states, even no payment) of Anganwadi workers.
The salary of anganwadi workers is one of the lowest in country, and a pittance of what other government servants are paid in general. In other departments government assistants are paid at least Rs. 15,000 a month. In ICDS, however, helpers (known as sahayika) are paid a mere sum of Rs. 1,500 per month. The pay scale of mainstream anganwadi workers (known as sevika) is also not good – they’re paid Rs. 3,000 a month. Besides salary it can be said that these workers are provided residential facility too because they’re required to stay within anganwadi centre premises, and the government pays rent for those premises.
The only state with provision of grade pay for anganwadi workers is Tamilnadu. It pays a grade pay of Rs. 500 to anganwadi workers and Rs. 300 to helpers. Other states don’t provide grade pay to anganwadi staff.
Anganwadi ICDS Allowances and Perks
Aside from salary and grade pay some states also provide various allowances to Anganwadi workers. However, availability of these allowances varies from state to state:
Facilities provided to ICDS workers include Summer Holidays of 15 days, pension, Provident Fund etc. depending on the state they’re working in.
Anganwadi ICDS Benefits Under 7th Pay Commission
With workers demanding better pay since years government has finally decided to increase their pay scale in 7th CPC. However, exact figures of hike have not been disclosed.
It’s also worth noting that some states (i.e. Telangana and Kerala) have already revised the pay scale of ICDS workers. Telangana did it last year in May, and Kerala has also done it a few months back in February. Based on revised pay scales current salaries of ICDS workers look like this in states where pay has been revised:
| State | Salary of Helpers (Sahayikas) | Salary of Anganwadi Workers (Sevikas) |
| Kerala | Rs. 7,000 | Rs. 10,000 |
| Andhra Pradesh | Rs. 4,500 | Rs. 7,000 |
| Telangana | Rs. 4,500 | Rs. 7,000 |
While not a lot, these hikes are still a lot better than the current pay scale implemented by Central government. Hopefully Centre will also learn from these states and increase the salary of ICDS workers in 7th CPC.
Planning Commission of India is considering raising the pay of the Anganwadi laborers, who as of now are earning ₹3,000 per month. “We’ve to exalt the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) workers. They are given low compensations,” Planning Commission Member, Syeda Hamid said. “Their pay was increased recently, when their pay was multiplied from ₹1,500 to ₹3,000. We’re considering expanding it further,” Hamid further said.
Syeda Hamid Is Positive to Increase Wages For Anganwadi Workers
Several different changes in the plan are being made for the 2nd year of the twelfth Plan (2013), Hamid said. “Changing the Anganwadi Scheme into a nursery school, and satisfying the needs of nutrition will be the center of the progressions we are arranging.” “Serving warm or, in any event, homely cooked meals will be additional aim,” Hamid said, including that packaged nourishment being given at a few centers of Anganwadi was not of good quality.
Syeda said that the Planning Commission’s concentration was to unite ICDS with the other projects and making it to concentrate on nutrition and general wellbeing. Components of advancing sanitation as well as clean water of drinking were likewise being included to the plan, Syeda said.
Integrated Child Development Services is a lead plan which concentrates for enhancing the nutritional level and wellbeing status of the children up to 6 years old, lessening mortality, dismalness and lack of healthy sustenance and improving the ability of the mother to take care of her and dietary requirements of the tyke through appropriate nourishment and health instructions.
Jaithley Also Interested To Increase The Pay Of Anganwadi Workers
Finance Minister Jaitley in an announcement stated that making schemes of social security available to unorganized division workers is a noteworthy challenge that the Union Government is eager to address at this crossroads where the disordered division is developing at a rapid pace.
The administration’s need is to make social security and wellbeing advantages open to unorganized area workers such as Anganwadi workers, construction workers and workers of various schemes.
National Secretary of AITUC (All India Trade Union Congress) Gurudas Dasgupta stated that it is terrible that the government turned down the offer by ILC in May to increase the salaries of anganwadi workers. Gurudas said that since individuals working in the sloppy areas are ignored for a considerable length of time, an across the country stir was inevitable. All India Trade Union Congress also arranged “gherao” of the Parliament house but their appeal was not taken for granted but this year they are positive that after 7Th Pay Commission, salaries of the Anganwadi workers will be raised.
Few Of The Important Duties Of Anganwadi Workers
| Assisting Asha | To spread consciousness for healthcare & importance of healthy foods, pregnancy care, immunization |
| Supplying Drugs | To supply medications and drugs to needy people |
| Coordination | Coordinating with district and block healthcare establishments |
| Helping Pregnant women | Assisting pregnant women in various ways |
| Immunization | Determine immunization & health check-ups. |
| Childcare | Determining child development by maintaining child cards. |
| Preschool Activities | Performing preschool activities (children up to 5 years old) |
| Record of Births | Sharing birth records with the Gram sabha/panchayat |
Update
13/09/2018
Double Remuneration for Health Care Workers in India
The central government made another announcement that directly affects the healthcare facility in the country. In September 2018, authorities highlighted that the incentive sum or Protsahan Rashi will be doubled from October 2018. What was Rs. 250 will not become Rs, 500. This facility will directly benefit the Asha, ANM and Anganwadi workers. Instead of Rs. 3000, these healthcare workers will receive Rs. 4500. Those who used to attain Rs. 2250 will get Rs. 3500. The Anganwadi Helpers used to get Rs. 1500. From October, they will receive Rs. 2500. This will boost the morale of these healthcare workers. More financial assistance will encourage them to take up more cases. This will develop the rural health sector easily.
Other Articles
