Centre approves 1,567 new anganwadis as against Odisha government's proposal for 7,844 centres: Minister

BHUBANESWAR: The Centre has approved 1,567 new anganwadi centres as against the State government proposal for opening 7,844 new centres.

Informing this in the Assembly, Women and Child Development Minister Tukuni Sahu said that 74,154 anganwadi/mini anganwadi centres are in operation now.

The State government had submitted a proposal to the Centre seeking its approval for opening of 7,844 new centres.

Finding some discrepancies, the Ministry of Women and Child Development asked the State government to submit a fresh proposal after further scrutiny of the criteria fixed for sanction of such centres.

Accordingly, the State government has directed district collectors to submit their proposals afresh, she added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has requested all the states to encourage eligible anganwadi workers/anganwadi helpers (AWWs/AWHs) to get themselves enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan (PM-SYM) Pension Scheme on voluntary basis in order to get assured monthly pension on attaining the age of 60 years.

Responding to a query from BJD MP Ramesh Majhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani in written reply informed Lok Sabha that the Centre has received representations from anganwadi workers’ unions demanding safety, insurance, risk allowance and fixed wage from several states.

She said the Standing Committee on Labour in its report on the Unorganised Sector Workers’ Social Security Bill recommended that the benefit of social security proposed under the Bills should also be extended to anganwadi workers who are not covered by the existing laws relating to social security either in the organised or unorganised sector. 

The Union Minister said AWWs/AWHs are covered under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (life cover of Rs 2 lakh in the age group of 18 to 50 years); Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (Rs 2 lakh in the age group of 18-59 years in case of accidental death or permanent/full disability and Rs 1 lakh in case of partial but permanent disability); and Anganwadi Karyakarti Bima Yojana with life cover of Rs 30,000 to AWWs/AWHs in the age group of 51 to 59 years.