Delhi govt hikes honorarium, allowance of Anganwadi workers, helpers

The Delhi government on Thursday decided to increase the monthly honorarium and allowance of Anganwadi workers and helpers who are on strike for the past several days.

Delhi Women and Child Development Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said the government took the decision because of rising inflation and the recent strike of the Aganwadi workers and helpers.

The increased honorarium and allowance will be paid from March, he said.

Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union said they do not agree to the announcements made by the Delhi government and their strike will go on.

Till now, Anganwadi workers were paid Rs 9,678 as honorarium and Rs 200 as communication allowance for maintaining mobile phones.

The Delhi government has now raised the honorarium of Anganwadi workers to Rs 11,220 besides increasing the conveyance and communication allowance to Rs 1,500, Gautam said.

The honorarium of helpers has been increased from Rs 4,839 to Rs 5,610. They will also get Rs 1,200 as conveyance and communication allowance, he said.

Gautam claimed the total honorarium of Rs 12,720 for Anganwadi workers and Rs 6,810 for helpers will be the highest in the entire country.

"A few days ago, I had a meeting with some Anganwadi unions in which they presented a list of their demands. We told them that we will come to a positive decision in the next seven days.

"Today, our government has delivered on its promise... in less than a week... the Kejriwal government is sensitive towards the demands of the Anganwadi workers in these difficult times," he said.

The minister appealed to the Anganwadi workers and helpers to join their duties.

The Delhi government in 2017 had increased the honorarium of Anganwadi workers from Rs 5,000 to Rs 9,678 and that of Anganwadi helpers from Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,839.