(a) whether the Government has fixed any remuneration to volunteers in
villages who look after pregnant women and lactating mothers;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
(c) whether the said volunteers have been paid their due salary during each
of the last three years and the current year;
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(e) the corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI KRISHNA TIRATH)
(a) & (b): The pregnant women and lactating mothers (P&LM) in villages are
looked after by the field functionaries i.e. Auxillary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and
Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) under the National Health Mission (NHM)
and Anganwadi Worker (AWW) under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
Scheme at the Anganwadi Centre (AWC).
ASHA with AWW help pregnant women for early registration, ensure four ANCs,
TT immunization and IFA consumption, counseling for IFA compliance and birth
preparedness, counseling on early initiation of breastfeeding, monitor pregnant
women and in case of danger signs provide prompt support and referral, arrange
for free referral transport, accompany pregnant women and ensure recording of
birth weight and initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth, etc.
ASHA is incentivized to promote institutional deliveries. She is paid performance
linked incentives and is not paid wages.
ANM who looks after the pregnant women and lactating mother is a regular employee of
the State Government/UT Administration. She is paid salary as per the scale of pay
sanctioned for the post.
The AWW under the ICDS Scheme is an honorary worker and is responsible for providing
supplementary nutrition in the form of THR to P&L mothers, their counseling on diet,
rest and importance and monitoring of weight gain, refer those cases to health
facilities in consultation with ANM where there is any visible danger sign. She also
arranges Village Health & Nutrition Day. She is paid monthly honorarium under the
scheme, which at present is Rs.3000/- p.m. In addition, States/UTs also provide
additional honorarium to the AWW from their sources.
(c) to (e): Under ICDS Scheme, the grants-in-aid released to the States/UTs as
ICDS (General) is meant inter-alia for payment of honorarium to the honorary Anganwadi
Workers and Helpers. A Statement indicating amount spent by States/UTs under
honorarium head for Anganwadi Workers and Helpers during last three years and current
year, as reported by States/UTs in their Statement of Expenditure is annexed.