A Big Boom for Asha and Anganwadi Workers: A Pay Rise up to ₹10,500

In India, Asha and Anganwadi workers also form the backbone of health and nutrition service delivery at the grassroots level. These women lead health awareness, care for the nutrition and education of children and women, and deal with their psychosocial well-being. Well, they don’t have much, yet lately, news regarding an increase in their honorarium has just brought a ray of hope into their lives.

The government has decided to increase the salary of the Asha and Anganwadi workers to ₹10,500. Not only will this help them better their life situations, but it will also be a token of appreciation for all their endeavours. So, let’s unpack this a little more.

Training and Roles of Asha and Anganwadi Workers

What Are Asha Workers?

• Asha (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers are local women who advocate for health services in their communities.
• Their main responsibilities are health education, maternal care, immunisation and family planning.
• The workers receive incentive-based honorariums, which differ based on their performance.

What Are Anganwadi Workers?

• Anganwadi workers are deployed for nutrition and education to children and women.
• They educate preschoolers at Anganwadi centres and provide nutritional support to pregnant women and young children.
• They handle immunisation and health checks and link communities to government welfare schemes.

Also Read: Minimum Salary for Outsourced Staff at ₹18,000 by Modi Govt

Honorarium Increase: Why It Matters

Current Situation

The salaries of Asha and Anganwadi workers are borne jointly by the state and central governments in India. The payment varies by state:

• Asha workers have been paid performance incentives of ₹2,000 to ₹8,000 a month.
• Anganwadi Workers get a monthly honorarium between ₹4,500 and ₹12,500.

The Proposed Increase

The government is mulling increasing the honorarium for these workers to ₹10,500. An increase like that would help them in many ways:`

• Economic Security: This raise would enable those women to offer a higher standard of living to their families.
• Higher Motivation: The fact that they were getting paid more would inspire them to do all sorts of tremendous things in their crucial roles.
• Dignity and Worth: It would signify the respect for their hard work and respect.

A Snapshot of the Honorarium Increase

Position	Current Honorarium (₹)	Proposed New Honorarium (₹)
Asha Worker	₹2,000 – ₹8,000	₹10,500
Anganwadi Worker	₹4,500 – ₹12,500	₹10,500
Anganwadi Helper	₹2,250 – ₹8,750	Possible Increase
Mini-Anganwadi Worker	₹3,500 – ₹6,500	Possible Increase
Performance-Based Incentive	₹250 – ₹1,000	Possible Increase

Government’s Efforts Asha and Anganwadi Workers

Announcements by the Prime Minister

Before this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had implemented a number of reformative provisions for Asha and Anganwadi workers:

• Regular honorarium increases.
• Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana & Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
• Additional compensated incentives based on performance.

State Government Initiatives for Asha and Anganwadi Workers

Some state governments have also worked to enhance pay for these workers:

• The Haryana government has raised Anganwadi workers with more than a decade of experience to ₹14,000.
• The West Bengal government had also recently announced a hike of ₹750 per month.

Challenges and Solutions

Challenges

1. Not Enough Pay: The pay scale is often less than minimum wage.
2. Systemic Overwork: People in these professions tend to be extremely overworked, often without the necessary resources.
3. Do not be Given Any Social Recognition: Their contribution is crucial, but they are often not counted as full-fledged government employees.

Solutions

1. Consistency in Salary Hikes: Make sure to pass regular salary hikes that commensurate with the rising cost of living.
2. Limiting Work Hours: Setting proper work hours and providing extra benefits.
3. Social Awareness Campaigns: Create campaigns to raise awareness and credit them for their contributions.

Conclusion

The increase in honorariums is a long overdue step in the direction of improving their conditions of living, if passed, and a recognition that their work needs no more glorification than to have them treated fairly in terms of payment for their continuous efforts to help society through the years. This decision is going to motivate them to do their work with ultimate dedication and zest. Yet still, big challenges need big solutions, and it is the government’s and society’s responsibility to get this under control at all costs.