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Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday urged the Centre to "work closely" with the state governments to fill all vacancies of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Anganwadi workers in the country, and also flagged their "meagre" honorariums despite their vital contribution to public service delivery.
Addressing the Upper House of the Parliament during the Zero Hour, Sonia Gandhi urged the government to ensure "timely remuneration" and double the Centre's contribution to these frontline workers. She said, "I rise to draw the urgent attention of this House to the continued distress of women workers implementing critical government programmes--ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and helpers, and the community resource persons under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). "These initiatives are intended as pathways to women's empowerment. However, despite their vital contribution to public service delivery, these women workers are overburdened and underpaid. Across the country, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers undertake immunisation, mobilisation, maternal health, and family welfare, yet they remain volunteers with low honorarium and limited social security," she said. According to a press release from Congress, Sonia Gandhi stated that Anganwadi workers are paid a base honorarium of Rs 4,500 per month and Rs 2,250 per month. "Anganwadi workers are similarly paid a meagre base honorarium of Rs 4,500 and Rs 2,250 per month by the Union Government. Beyond low pay, there are currently nearly three lakh vacancies in the ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) at various levels. These gaps leave lakhs and lakhs of children and mothers without essential services. Even when filled, these posts fall short of population norms due to the lack of updated census figures since 2011," the Congress MP said. "I urge the Government to work closely with the States to prioritise the following measures: Filling of all existing vacancies, ensuring timely remuneration to all workers, doubling of the Union Government's contribution to the pay of these frontline workers, appointing of an additional ASHA worker in villages with a population greater than 2,500, and doubling of the number of Anganwadi workers to enable early childhood education in addition to existing nutrition and health initiatives," Sonia Gandhi stated. Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha discussed electoral reforms, where Union Minister JP Nadda criticised the Congress over electoral fraud allegations, stating that the party is spreading misconceptions after losing elections. (ANI)
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