Odisha Govt Implemented Centre’s Decision On Sops To Anganwadi Workers: Aparajita

Bhubaneswar: Two days after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced sops for Anganwadi workers and helpers in Odisha, BJP leader and former Odisha cadre IAS officer Aparajita Sarangi denounced the move stating that the decision was that of the Centre and not the state government.

In her tweet, she said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a hike in the remuneration of Anganwadi worker, mini anganwadi worker and helper by Rs 1500, Rs 1300 and Rs 750 respectively following a decision taken in this regard by the Union Cabinet on September 19, 2018. Following the announcement, the Centre had written a letter to the state governments to implement it from October 1, 2018.

Aparajita also said that states like Andhra Pradesh give remuneration of Rs 10,000 per month to the anganwadi works and Rs 6,000 per month to anganwadi helpers by topping up from the state budget.

Maintaining that the Odisha government had deliberately delayed the announcement till January only to gain political mileage, she said a series of dharnas by the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) staff for the legitimate hike in their remuneration speaks volume on the double standards of the state government towards them and commitment of the BJD for the ICDS.