New Delhi: In good news for lakhs of Asha and Anganwadi workers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday announced a hike in their monthly honorarium from October.
In addition, all accredited social health activists (Asha) will be brought under the coverage of various social security schemes and provided free insurance cover under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Prime Minister Suraksha Bima Yojana.
The social health activists will not have to pay any premium for the insurance coverage and will get Rs 4 lakh in case of any untoward incident, the prime minister said during a video interaction with Asha, ANM (auxiliary nurse midwife) and Anganwadi workers from across the country.
He said the revised incentive will come into effect from October and it will reflect in their salaries from November onwards, which would be a Diwali gift for them.
Those who drew an honorarium of Rs 3,000 will from now on get Rs 4,500 and those who used to get Rs 2,200 will get Rs 3,500, he said. The honorarium of Anganwadi helpers will be hiked from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500, he said. These are routine incentive given by the Centre to Asha and Anganwadi workers.
The state governments also give them separate incentive. There are around 14 lakh Anganwadis or child care centres in rural areas across the country and 10 crore beneficiaries, who include children under the age of six and pregnant women and lactating mothers.
There are a total of 12,83,707 Anganwadi workers and 10,50,564 helpers. Anganwadis were set up under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme.
Meanwhile, about one crore fake beneficiaries have been found registered in anganwadis across India and their names have been removed from the list, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said Tuesday.
There are around 14 lakh anganwadis across the country and 10 crore beneficiaries, who include children under the age of six and pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Gandhi said the identification and elimination of fake beneficiaries is an “ongoing process”, and until now officials have found and eliminated nearly one crore fake beneficiaries. A senior official said the WCD ministry was compiling the details of the one crore fake beneficiaries.
Last month, Gandhi said about 14 lakh fake names of children were found registered in anganwadis of Assam. The fake names were found in a survey by the Assam government carried out in June. (PTI)
