Despite difficulties endured by the Anganwadi volunteers and helpers – as admitted by the State government — the latter claims to have been pumping in huge funds starting with the salaries, which is much more than the honorarium fixed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
Government sources told Herald that an Anganwadi teacher/volunteer draws monthly salary up to Rs 15,000 while the helper receives maximum Rs 7,500, significantly more as compared to the amount of around Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500 to the respective workers across many other parts of the country.
“As per the ministry guidelines, an Anganwadi teacher is paid Rs 3,000-Rs 3,500 per month while the helper gets around Rs 1,500. Goa is perhaps the only State in the country that offers minimum Rs 6,500 and maximum Rs 15,000 to the teachers and between Rs 4,500-Rs 7,500 to the helpers, based on their seniority,” revealed a Child Development Project Officer (CDPO). The pay scale for the Anganwadi teachers/volunteers also depends on whether the concerned is matric or non-matric educated.
As per the Central scheme, under which the Anganwadi centres operate pan-India, the Union Government contributes 60 per cent and the States pay 40 per cent towards the salaries. “But Goa government’s share in the salary structure overtakes the Centre,” he added.
Information shared with Herald indicates that during the BJP-led rule in 2002, the honorarium to the volunteers was hiked from Rs 2,200 to Rs 4,500. In the subsequent years, the government further hiked the amount to Rs 7,500 which has now touched to Rs 15,000.
The State has around 1301 centres across the State with each Anganwadi comprising one volunteer and one helper. However, at certain centres, a Child Development Project Officer revealed, the posts are allegedly vacant. “The Anganwadis are nevertheless handled by alternate employees,” he added.
Knowing about the difficulties faced by Aganwadi teachers and helpers, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the recent Budget announced Retirement Benefit Scheme and assured to further strengthen the scheme and enhance the retirement benefit in order to recognise their service and grant them their due.
Sources said that though the teachers and helpers are not eligible for pension, they reportedly get an additional benefit of Rs 3-4 lakh during their retirement subject to the number of years in the service.
Meanwhile, the Centre is gearing up to bring around lakhs of anganwadi volunteers and their helpers under the ambit of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), keeping the employers’ contribution fixed at 10 per cent. Under the scheme, the states may have to contribute 40 per cent of the proposed employers’ contribution while the Centre will bear the remaining 60 per cent.
Over past few years, the teachers as well as the helpers have been demanding regularisation; which cannot be heeded to as there is no provision in the Central scheme. “These workers are demanding regularisation but how can that be possible when the union government has not made any provision for it? It is a voluntary service. Even if Goa agrees to their demand, there could be repercussions from other states,” he stated.
The former Women & Child Development Minister Dilip Parulekar who revealed that as many as 30 centres were shifted to a new building during his tenure from 2012-2017 while 20 more were in the pipeline. “Some structures were set up as these were fully funded by independent agencies,” he added.
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VOLUNTEERS’ HONORARIUM HIKED
Information shared with Herald indicates that during the BJP-led rule in 2002, the honorarium to the volunteers was hiked from Rs 2,200 to Rs 4,500. In the subsequent years, the government further hiked the amount to Rs 7,500 which has now touched to Rs 15,000. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the recent Budget announced Retirement Benefit Scheme (for anganwadi workers) and assured to further strengthen the scheme and enhance the retirement benefit in order to recognise their service and grant them their due. Though the teachers and helpers are not eligible for pension, they reportedly get an additional benefit of Rs 3-4 lakh during their retirement subject to the number of years in the service. The Centre is gearing up to bring around lakhs of anganwadi volunteers and their helpers under the ambit of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), keeping the employers’ contribution fixed at 10 per cent. Under the scheme, the states may have to contribute 40 per cent of the proposed employers’ contribution while the Centre will bear the remaining 60 per cent.
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GOA HAS 1301 CENTRES
The State has around 1301 centres across the State with each Anganwadi comprising one volunteer and one helper. However, at certain centres, a Child Development Project Officer revealed, the posts are allegedly vacant…the Anganwadis are nevertheless handled by alternate employees. Each Anganwadi comprises one volunteer and one helper. However, at certain centres, a Child Development Project Officer revealed, the posts are allegedly vacant. “The Anganwadis are nevertheless handled by alternate employees. Anganwadi is a type of rural mother and child care centre in India. They were started by the Indian government in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development Services programme to combat child hunger and malnutrition. Anganwadi means “courtyard shelter” in Indian languages.
