Parl panel slams govt over lack of basic amenities in Anganwadi centres

Govt has been under fire from key Parliamentary committee for paying Anganwadi workers, helpers inadequate salary and has been urged to increase the pay in a way that is appropriate with their labour

An key finance committee of the Parliament has criticised the government for paying Anganwadi workers and helpers inadequate salary and has urged it to increase their pay in a way that is appropriate with their labour.

The government has also been ordered by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Lok Sabha finance panel, to provide amenities like drinking water and restrooms at Anganwadis in a timely manner.

The Ministry for Women and Child Development (MWCD) has been ordered to suitably revise and raise the pay of Anganwadi workers and helpers in its report, which was delivered to Parliament on Wednesday.

It expressed dismay over the situation that the government had not taken any action despite earlier reminders about the poor remuneration of Anganwadi workers and helpers.

The committee observed that there are many open positions for Anganwadi workers and helpers due to the low salary they receive.

"The critical role played by these Anganwadi workers and helpers during the Covid period cannot be ignored as they were tasked with distributing rations along with carrying out their main responsibilities pertaining to primary health care and immunisation, supplementary nutrition, educating families about family planning measures etc. The committee, therefore feels that it is high time that the Anganwadi workers get due recognition for the selfless and continuous services they have been providing," it noted in its observations.

In this regard, the panel, led by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of Congress, has requested that the government revise their pay in such a manner that the benefits and salaries being paid to them should commensurate with the work that they have been performing. The ministry should also seek the necessary budgetary support for this, the panel said.

The panel also suggested that the government put out a plan for the provision of mobile toilets in places where the Anganwadi centres lack them because many of these institutions operate from temporary buildings and semi-pucca premises that may not have toilets or drinking water facilities.

(With agency inputs)