Govt considering reviewing honorarium of Anganwadi workers

New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) The Government is actively considering the report of the Review Committee set up to examine the current levels of honorarium and other related issues of Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi helpers, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

The Review committee, which was set up in view of the long pending demand of Anganwadi Workers, had submitted its report recently, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury said today in a written reply.

She said that in pursuance of the commitment of the National Common Minimum Programme of the Government to provide a functional Anganwadi Centre (AWCs) in every settlement/habitation, the ICDS Scheme has been expanded twice in the last two years. The first expansion was in the year 2005-06 when 466 ICDS Projects and 1.88 lakh Anganwadi Centres were sanctioned. In 2nd expansion approved in the current year, 173 additional projects and 107274 additional Anganwadi Centres and 25961 mini Anganwadis have been sanctioned.

Moreover, many projects/AWCs sanctioned in the IXth Plan have also been operationalized in the last two years. As a result, number of beneficiaries of supplementary nutrition and pre-school education has gone up from 415.08 lakh and 204.38 lakh as on March 31, 2004 to 654.65 lakh and 271.28 lakh respectively as on September 30, 2006, she informed.

To develop the skills and update the knowledge of the Anganwadi workers (AWWs) and Helpers (AWHs), modules both for job and refresher training are already in place under the ICDS Scheme. At present Anganwadi workers are given job training for 26 days, refresher training for five days and induction training for 6 days.

Similarly, Anganwadi helpers are given refresher training for 4 days and orientation training for six days, she added.

UNI