20% hike in salary for anganwadi workers to be announced in Budget, says Lodha

The minister further said that the government is beginning to start anganwadis in containers due to space shortage in Mumbai.

Written by Alok Deshpande

Mumbai | March 4, 2023 01:54 AM IST

2 min read

At present, while anganwadi workers are paid Rs 8,500, their helpers get Rs 4,500. Congress MLA Kunal Patil said the demands have been pending for years. (Express Photo)

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The Maharashtra government told the state Assembly on Friday said that it plans a 20 per cent increase in the salary of anganwadi workers.

Replying to the questions raised on the agitation by anganwadi workers seeking adjustment of their remuneration with minimum wages, state Women and Child Welfare Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the government has approved majority of the demands raised by the workers and announcements to this effect will be made in the March 9 Budget. At present, while anganwadi workers are paid Rs 8,500, their helpers get Rs 4,500. Congress MLA Kunal Patil said the demands have been pending for years.

“They don’t get paid but work tirelessly in rural areas. The Supreme Court order giving them gratuity has also not been followed,” he added.

Lodha said, “We will announce a 20 per cent increase in the remuneration for anganwadi workers. We will also provide them cellphones, for which Rs 150 crore have been allotted… In all, 20,123 posts of anganwadis are yet to be filled. The government will fill these posts by 1 May.”

The minister further said that the government is beginning to start anganwadis in containers due to space shortage in Mumbai.

“At present, we are starting with 200 such anganwadis on an experimental basis. We plan to start 1,500 such anganwadis across Mumbai,” Lodha added.

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