About 150,000 anganwadi workers in Uttar Pradesh, who were staging a protest on August 17 and 18, have called off their strike after reportedly being given an assurance by the state government to increase their monthly honorarium. As per the latest media reports, Rs 623.59 crores [approx. Rs 6.2 billion] has been allocated in the supplementary budget for doubling the honorarium of over 350,000 anganwadi workers and helpers in the state. The state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to announce this soon.
However, the anganwadi workers’ association claimed it has not been given any such assurance, neither verbal nor in writing, so it is still awaiting a formal communication from the government.
“It is expected that fifteen hundred rupees hike a month will be given to anganwadi workers, who, as of now, are getting five thousand and five hundred rupees honorarium only,” Jaunpur-based Sarita Singh, member, Confederation of Free Trade Unions of India (CFTUI), a national umbrella organisation of trade unions and associations, told Gaon Connection. This union body has been leading the protest.
“After the announcement, these women workers of anganwadis are expected to get seven thousand rupees per month. However, we have not been given any formal assurance yet,” Singh said.
She went on to add that as part of the protest, the women have been demanding eight to ten thousand rupees a month for each anganwadi worker as was promised by the state government in 2017. Singh was leading the recent two-day protest, organised in front of the district headquarter, in Jaunpur district of the state.
Of the 75 districts in the state, anganwadi workers of 25 districts including Raebareli, Pratapgarh, Jaunpur, Amethi, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Shamli, Baghpat, Lalitpur, Maharajganj were part of the two-day protest. There are more than 350,000 anganwadi workers and helpers employed in 189,000 anganwadi centres across the state.
Underpaid for anganwadi services
Under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, the anganwadi services envisages the anganwadi workers and helpers 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.
According to the 2019 statement of Ministry of Women & Child Development, the anganwadi workers at main-anganwadi centres are entitled to get honorarium of Rs 4,500 per month, those at at mini-anganwadi centres are given Rs 3,500 monthly honorarium, and monthly honorarium of Rs 2,250 to anganwadi helpers.
In addition to the honorarium paid by the central government, the respective states and Union Territories give monetary incentives to these workers out of their own resources.
For instance, Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 additional honorarium is given to the anganwadi workers and helpers, respectively, by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Simply put, each anganwadi worker gets Rs 4,500-5,500 per month for her services. Whereas, the helper gets Rs 2,750 on a monthly basis.
“For all the work that we do, including monitoring child growth, looking after malnourished kids and pregnant women, distributing ration, administering other health services under the ICDS, we should get at least ten thousand rupees a month. A decent amount is fifteen thousand rupees. But we hope we get at least what we have demanded,” 43-year-old Usha Maurya, anganwadi worker, told Gaon Connection. Maurya , a widow and a mother of two, has been working in the anganwadi centre in Jafrabad nagar panchayat of Jaunpur district for the past 14 years.
Maurya informed that she also has to manage travel expenses amounting to Rs 300 per visit to the block headquarter from where she collects oil and dal (pulses) and to the ration shop from where she collects food grains such as rice and wheat. These are distributed to ICDS beneficiaries every month by the anganwadi workers.
Also Read: Severely malnourished under-5 children consumed by hunger in the pandemic
Overworked in the pandemic
The anganwadi workers complained that they are overworked, especially amid the COVID19 pandemic when they are being given additional responsibilities, even by the health department. “Duty to itna hai, ki aap note karti reh jayengi (I have so many duties that you would get tired of putting it down),” mocked a sorrowful Maurya, who said she did not get to time to eat when she was out in field from 9 in the morning till 5 in the evening.
“Nothing is decided. We are urgently called to report to work some days. There are no ASHA [Accredited Social Health Activist] workers in our village, hence we have to do all that work too,” she added.
During the COVID19 pandemic, the anganwadi workers were also given responsibility for door-to-door screening of villagers as well.
This was even acknowledged by the state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. “To avoid a possible third wave of Covid, door-to-door screening as well as medicine kit distribution is also being done by anganwadi workers,” he said this while addressing a gathering in the programme of distribution of essential commodities to 75 anganwadi centre Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University last month on July 28.
He said that during the second wave of COVID19 pandemic, anganwadi workers were found working with full zeal and spirit in villages of the state to control the spread of the pandemic.
Lauding the efforts of anganwadi workers, Adityanath said these workers have been constantly converting negativity into positivity. But anganwadi workers are not happy with this ‘lip service’, they want recognition for their efforts.
Eight demands of anganwadi workers
The anganwadi workers’ association has issued a demand letter dated August 18 highlighting that the Uttar Pradesh government had promised Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 monthly honorarium to anganwadi workers and helpers on June 7, 2017. Later on February 22, 2018, the state government promised a monthly hike of Rs 1,500. These promises were never met, said Singh of CFTUI, who is also a member of Anganwadi Karamchari Va Sahayika Association, Jaunpur.
Apart from the honorarium hike, the association has put forth the following eight demands:
- A manual should be released on all services offered by the anganwadi workers, mini anganwadi workers and helpers.
- Status of ‘workers’ to anganwadi workers and helpers. Unless that is done, Rs 18,000 per month should be given to anganwadi workers and Rs 9,000 per month to helpers.
- Promotion of anganwadi workers, who have completed 10 years in service, to ‘Mukhya Sevika’ (supervisor) as per their eligibility. Unless the promotion happens, a salary of the same amount as received by the supervisor (at least Rs 40,0000 per month) should be given to these anganwadi workers.
- Retired anganwadi workers aged above 62 years have not received gratuity and pension in Uttar Pradesh. They should be given pension and gratuity like other states.
- Anganwadi workers in mini-anganwadi centres of gram sabhas that have more than 1,000 population should be given the post of ‘full time’ anganwadi worker.
- Appointment of anganwadi helpers as workers on the basis of eligibility in vacant posts.
- Urgent release of honorarium of October and November months of 2017.
- Food grain distribution to beneficiaries should be done only by anganwadi workers and committees.
Gaon Connection tried to contact Sarika Mohan, Director of Bal Vikas Seva Evam Pushtahar Vibhag (Department of Child Development Services and Nutrition), Uttar Pradesh; , Additional Director Arvind Kumar Chaurasia, and Additional Chief Secretary Radha Chauhan for their comments. But the calls remained unanswered. The story will be updated once their response is received.
Meanwhile, the anganwadi workers are also demanding proper safety gear to function in the pandemic. “We were given a one-time use blue [surgical] mask in June this year. Some of us are buying masks on our own, some are not. Kya sarkar ya adhikari samjhenge hamari jindagi kitni anmol hai? (Will government and officials understand the worth of our lives?)” asked Maurya.
Gaon Connection has also reported how ASHA workers in several states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, have launched protests demanding fair wages and proper safety gear in the COVID19 pandemic.
