Anganwadi workers misused for meetings, greeting VIPs: Maneka

Anganwadi workers across the country have been “misused” for over four decades, said Women’s and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Thursday.

She said the anganwadi workers are often made to work for extra hours and even forced to attend political meetings or greeting VIPs, which has been banned now. During the Question Hour, members expressed concern over the remuneration paid to anganwadi workers and helpefrs of Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500, respectively, was not adequate for the work they do. 

She said there were around 24 lakh anganwadi workers, who were required only to work only a few hours as it was not an 8-hour job.  However, the “fact” is that over the 40 years of the programme, they have been “misused” and “not legally” asked to attend political meetings, greet VIPs or distribute pamphlets. “We have stopped all that,” Gandhi said. 

She said while it is not possible for her to increase the remuneration, especially with the 60:40 devolution of funds between Centre and State, the state governments pay additional money to them.