Delhi anganwadi workers best paid in India, says govt, union to continue strike

On Thursday, the government announced that it has decided to pay ₹12,720 per month to anganwadi workers and ₹6,810 per month to anganwadi helpers .

The Delhi government on Sunday claimed that it is now paying the highest wages to anganwadi workers in India as it has increased their honorarium by up to 2.5 times since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in the national Capital.

On Thursday, the government announced that it has decided to pay ₹12,720 per month to anganwadi workers and ₹6,810 per month to anganwadi helpers . (Representative image/HT Archive)

On Thursday, the government announced that it has decided to pay ₹12,720 per month to anganwadi workers and ₹6,810 per month to anganwadi helpers . The increased honorarium and allowance will be paid from March. As of now, anganwadi workers get ₹9,678 per month, while helpers get ₹4,839 to ₹6,810 per month in Delhi.

The Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (DSAWHU), which is leading a strike against the Delhi government demanding higher pay for the past 28 days, however, said they are not appeased with the announcements made by the Delhi government and will continue their strike.

There are close to 10,700 anganwadi centres, and over 20,000 anganwadi workers and helpers in the city.

“Anganwadi workers in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Karnataka are paid ₹7,800 to ₹8,000 per month. At the same time, Bihar’s BJP government is paying anganwadi workers only ₹7,000 per month. In Congress-ruled Punjab only ₹9,500 per month are paid to them, while in Maharashtra they are paid only ₹8,666. Anganwadi helpers in Punjab and Maharashtra are given only ₹5,000 and 4,600 respectively,” a government official said on condition of anonymity.

“Anganwadi workers are paid ₹12,200 in Tamil Nadu, ₹11,811 in Haryana, ₹10,500 in Telangana, ₹10,000 in Kerala, ₹10,000 in Madhya Pradesh, ₹9,500 in Punjab, 8,666 in Maharashtra, 8,250 in West Bengal, ₹8,000 in Uttar Pradesh, ₹8,000 in Karnataka , ₹7,800 in Gujarat, ₹7,500 in Odisha, ₹7,000 in Andhra Pradesh, ₹7,000 in Bihar and ₹6,500 in Chhattisgarh,” the official added.