2 lakh posts of Anganwadi staff lying vacant

New Delhi: Over two lakh posts of Anganwadi staff are lying vacant in the country with Bihar alone accounting for 53,000, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for the Women and Child Development Ministry Virender Kumar also said that the monthly honourarium of the Anganwadi Workers is Rs 3,000, Anganwadi Workers of mini-Anganwadis is Rs 2,250 and Anganwadi helpers is Rs 1,500.

Anganwadis are government-sponsored mother and child care centres. Asked whe-ther Anganwadi workers were facing increasing responsibilities and work expectation while they are paid mere honoraria, Kumar said in addition to the monthly honourarium of the Anganwadi staff, they are paid extra for additional work.