Ayodhya, September 8 (Daily Kiran) : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made a significant announcement on September 8, 2026, in Ayodhya, providing a boost to the state’s Anganwadi workers and assistants. The honorarium for Anganwadi workers will rise from ₹8,000 to ₹12,000 per month, while assistants will see their pay increase from ₹4,000 to ₹6,000.
In addition to the pay hike, families of Anganwadi workers and assistants will now have access to cashless medical treatment worth up to ₹5 lakh annually. The workers will also receive an extra saree, bringing their total to three. Furthermore, the Chief Minister announced plans to modernize Anganwadi centers through the use of smartphones and real-time data tracking.
The announcement was made during a ceremony honoring Anganwadi workers and assistants under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program. Approximately 12,000 workers attended the event in Ayodhya, with participation from ministers, MPs, and MLAs across all 75 districts. The timing of this announcement aligns with the Nutrition Month, which begins on Wednesday.
Before his address, CM Yogi toured an exhibition showcasing various departmental stalls, distributing nutritional supplements to women and conducting rice feeding ceremonies for children. He noted that in 2017, when his government took office, Anganwadi workers were earning only ₹3,000. The honorarium was later raised to ₹8,000 based on performance metrics and is now set to increase to ₹12,000. The assistants’ pay will also see a rise from ₹1,500 to ₹6,000.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Anganwadi workers played a crucial role alongside auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), often risking their lives to provide essential services. CM Yogi emphasized that all Anganwadi workers and their families will benefit from the new cashless health facility, which can be utilized at empaneled hospitals, government hospitals, and medical colleges.
Recently, around 1.5 million teachers and educators in the state were granted similar cashless health benefits, prompting demands for Anganwadi workers to receive the same support. The Chief Minister announced that funds for sarees have already been allocated for the 2.91 lakh Anganwadi workers and assistants, who previously received two sarees. Now, they will receive an additional ₹500 for the third saree, costing the state approximately ₹20 crore.
In the first phase, 1.28 lakh smartphones will be distributed to facilitate real-time data entry and streamline the work of Anganwadi workers. CM Yogi linked the role of Anganwadi workers to the future of children, recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comparison of their work to that of Mother Yashoda. He stated that a healthy childhood is essential for a prosperous and self-reliant India. Over the past nine years, more than 70,000 Anganwadi centers in the state have been organized and upgraded.
The government aims to provide dedicated buildings for each Anganwadi center, funding this initiative through the state finance commission or separate budgets. Criticizing previous administrations, CM Yogi highlighted the dilapidated state of Anganwadi centers before 2017, where children often brought their own mats to sit on due to a lack of basic amenities.
He noted that while the central government allocated funds, local mafias exploited the system, affecting the distribution of nutritional supplements. Now, 204 locations are operating take-home ration plants through women’s self-help groups, freeing the system from mafia control.
In closing, CM Yogi pointed out the transformation of Ayodhya, which now boasts improved infrastructure, including four-lane roads, a grand railway station, and an international airport named after Maharishi Valmiki. He acknowledged the opposition from parties like the Samajwadi Party and Congress regarding the development of Ayodhya and the Ram temple, asserting that their resistance did not hinder progress. The ceremony also honored children who have achieved notable health improvements and Anganwadi centers that have excelled in their service.
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