TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Though the government has solved the demand of anganwadi workers and helpers for better remuneration by initiating the process of hiking their monthly honorarium as promised in the 2013-14 Budget, a few anganwadi centres are grappling with staff shortage.
The retirement of some staff had created vacancies, even as the Department of Women and Child Development has just begun the recruitment process. This means, it will take a couple of months to fill the posts.
“The disbursement of remuneration at all 1262 centres across the State has begun, which includes arrears of the last three months. But the hurdle is shortage of staff in some of these centres,” an official said.
The government had increased the honorarium for anganwadi teachers up to Rs 15,000 per month and Rs 7,500 for assistants.
The provision of Rs 80 crore also includes raise in retirement benefits to Rs two lakh and Rs 1.50 lakh to teachers and helpers respectively. The implementation though began late. The minimum education qualification for an anganwadi teacher has also been changed to Class X, which earlier was Class VIII. Class X .
As per the revised salary, honorarium to teachers who have studied till Class X and those below the now-decided minimum qualification has been differentiated.
This also includes their number of years in service. The government has fixed starting salary of an anganwadi teacher at Rs 7,000 and Rs 4,500 for a helper.