Uttar Pradesh has increased the monthly honorarium of Anganwadi workers from Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000 and that of Anganwadi helpers from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000, benefiting 1,75,982 workers and 1,70,656 helpers across the state.
The additional funds were released this month, shortly before Diwali, according to a report by Times of India – Lucknow. Anganwadi workers and helpers welcomed the payment, saying the increase had eased household budgets and helped them meet festival-related expenses and family needs.
The revised payments represent an increase of Rs 4,000 a month for each Anganwadi worker and Rs 2,000 a month for each helper. Taken together, the change raises the monthly honorarium bill for the covered workforce by about Rs 10.45 crore, based on the numbers reported for workers and helpers. The figures refer to honorariums rather than regular salaries.
Pooja, an Anganwadi worker quoted in the report, said the earlier income made it difficult to manage household expenses while also meeting her children’s educational and other needs. She said the additional monthly earnings had made household budgeting easier, allowed her to purchase essential items for her children and prepare for festivals, while also helping her save some money.
The government has also extended cashless medical treatment benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh annually to the families of Anganwadi workers and helpers. The report does not specify the scheme’s enrolment process, the list of covered hospitals or the precise eligibility conditions for family members.
In addition, Anganwadi workers and helpers will now receive three sarees instead of two. The report does not provide the earlier frequency or the mechanism through which the additional clothing benefit will be distributed.
Anganwadi workers and helpers are part of the frontline network supporting child-care and nutrition services. Their work links state welfare delivery with households, particularly through local Anganwadi centres. The revised honorarium therefore affects not only the workers’ incomes but also the staffing base of a service network that operates close to communities in both urban and rural areas.
The reported beneficiary count indicates the scale of the state’s Anganwadi workforce. Workers account for 1,75,982 of the beneficiaries, while helpers account for 1,70,656. The government has not, in the supplied report, stated whether the increase is linked to revised duties, a new budget provision or a change in the administrative structure of Anganwadi services.
The payment released this month marks the immediate implementation step reported by the workers. Further details on the annual financial allocation, payment schedule, medical-cover administration and monitoring of the revised benefits were not provided in the report.
