Aaganwadi workers welcome Centre’s decision to double wages

AANGANWADI WORKERS IN SIKKIM WILL NOW TAKE HOME Rs. 4500 PER MONTH
SUBASH RAI
GANGTOK, 28 Feb: “It’s minimal, but it will help us lots”. This was how an Aaganwadi worker [ICDS worker] reacted when this correspondent informed her that the Union Government has raised her monthly wage from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 3000 per month. This was one of the announcements included in the Union Budget unveiled today.

With this announcement, Sikkim’s Aaganwadi workers will now draw a consolidated salary of Rs. 4,500 per month. Earlier, they used to draw Rs. 3,000, of which Rs. 1,500 was added from the State Government’s side as special incentive to the Aaganwadi workers.
Similarly, Aaganwadi helpers will now withdraw Rs. 2,500 per month against Rs. 1,750 drawing earlier. The Union Government has doubled the helper’s salary as well. Earlier, a helper used to get Rs. 750 from Centre’s pocket under Central Sponsored Scheme and Rs. 1,000 additional package from the State exchequer as incentive.
The State Government has been paying incentives to the Aaganwadi workers for the last two years.
Confirming the development, a senior official of the Welfare Division of Social Justice Empowerment and Welfare Department, which is monitoring the ICDS centres in the State, said, “We are very happy with the Union Government’s decision as this was the need of the hour.”
He said, “Though their [Aaganwadi worker’s] workload requires them to be paid more, but Rs. 4,500 will heal a portion of their grief.”
He informed that the Aagandwadi workers have been raising their voice demanding increase in their wages since long time back.
Echoing the same, Bindu Rai, an Aaganwadi worker in an ICDS centre in Barbing, East Sikkim said, “Rs. 8,500 per month or regular post was our proposal/ demand, but this increase has also made us happy.”
It was also confirmed that some of states in Southern India had given a regular employee status to the Aaganwadi workers.
The Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in his public speeches earlier had assured that remuneration of Aaganwadi workers will be increased from the coming financial year onwards but the amounts to be increased is officially not declared yet.
It may be recalled here that there were 1,233 ICDS centres sanctioned in the state and within March, almost all these centres will be fully functional. Each ICDS centre has one Aaganwadi worker and a helper.