Odisha hikes salary & exit incentive of Anganwadi workers

Bhubaneswar: Barely months before Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced an increase in monthly remuneration and other social security benefits for Anganwadi workers and their assistants.

The monthly salary of Anganwadi workers has been raised from Rs.7,500 to Rs.10,000, and that of Mini Anganwadi workers from Rs.5,378 to Rs.7,250 and Anganwadi Sahayikas from Rs.3,750 to Rs.5,000.

At least 1,48,000 Anganwadi workers, Mini Anganwadi workers and Anganwadi Sahayikas of the state will benefit from the decision which will cost the state exchequer an additional Rs 350 crore annually, a CMO release said.

It further added that the pay hike will be implemented retrospectively from October 1, 2023, and the Anganwadi workers will get the increased salary regularly from this month. The arrears from October 2023 to January 2024 will be deposited in their bank accounts between March 5 and March 10.

Likewise, the incentive of Rs 40,000 given to Anganwadi workers when they exit from their job has been increased to Rs 1 lakh. It will be effective from April 1, 2024. Likewise, mini Anganwadi workers will get Rs 75,000 instead of the current Rs 30,000 under the Exit Policy, and Anganwadi Sahayikas will get Rs 50,000 instead of Rs 20,000.

The state government has also announced a one-time incentive of Rs 2 lakh in case of death or complete physical disability of an Anganwadi worker, Mini Anganwadi worker, or Anganwadi Sahayika. Similarly, for partial disability, an amount of Rs 1 lakh will be provided. This too will be effective from April this year.