New Delhi, December 16
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today raised concerns in the Rajya Sabha over the continued distress of women workers engaged in key government programmes, including ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and helpers, and community resource persons under the National Rural Livelihood Mission.
Speaking during the Zero Hour, Gandhi said that while these schemes are projected as instruments of women’s empowerment, the workers implementing them remain overburdened, underpaid and inadequately supported despite their critical role in public service delivery. She pointed out that ASHA workers across the country are involved in immunisation, maternal health, mobilisation and family welfare, yet they continue to be treated as volunteers with low honorarium and minimal social security cover.
Drawing the attention of the Government to the plight of Anganwadi workers, the senior Congress leader said they receive a meager base honorarium of Rs 4,500 per month, while helpers are paid Rs 2,250 by the Union government, which does not reflect the scale and importance of their responsibilities. She further highlighted that there are nearly three lakh vacancies in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme at various levels, resulting in lakhs of children and mothers being deprived of essential nutrition, health and care services.
Gandhi noted that even where posts are filled, staffing remains inadequate as population norms are still based on the 2011 Census, with no updated figures available for planning and expansion of services. Urging the Centre to work closely with states, she called for immediate steps, including filling all existing vacancies, ensuring timely payment of remuneration, and doubling the Union government’s contribution to the pay of frontline women workers.
Gandhi also sought the appointment of an additional ASHA worker in villages with a population exceeding 2,500 and the doubling of the number of Anganwadi workers to enable the delivery of early childhood education alongside nutrition and health services. Emphasising the larger impact, the CPP Chairperson said that strengthening, expanding and adequately supporting this predominantly women workforce should be seen as a long-term investment in India’s human development and social infrastructure.
