Maharashtra to revise incentive allowance rules for anganwadi workers and helpers, minister directs officials

The rules governing the incentive allowance paid to anganwadi workers and helpers in Maharashtra will be changed. Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare has given officials important directions in this regard.

Employee unions had long been demanding that the criteria for the incentive allowance be improved. A special meeting was called at the Mantralaya in view of this.

At the meeting, Tatkare said clearly that certain parameters should be the basis for deciding the allowance. These are nutrition, health, pre-school education, attendance of beneficiaries and regular home visits. She also asked the officials concerned to prepare a complete, revised proposal immediately.

Madhavi Sardeshmukh, Commissioner of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, and Joint Secretary V. R. Thakur were present at the high-level meeting at the Mantralaya. Other senior officials of the Women and Child Development Department also attended.

A large system is currently working in the state to look after the health and nutrition of children aged 0 to 6 years, and of pregnant and lactating mothers. Maharashtra now has 1,08,627 anganwadi workers and 1,05,470 anganwadi helpers handling this work.

All of these employees receive an incentive allowance based on the quality of their work. The allowance has been in force since October 1, 2024. Anganwadi workers receive Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 a month, while anganwadi helpers receive Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 a month. The emphasis now is on making the criteria for distributing the allowance and evaluating work simpler and more up to date.

The meeting did not discuss only the incentive allowance. Other welfare schemes run by the ICDS Commissionerate were also discussed in detail. In particular, the supplementary nutrition scheme, the Adarsh Anganwadi scheme and the Baby Care Kit scheme were reviewed.

Tatkare told the officials how all these schemes should be implemented effectively in the coming financial year 2026-27, and gave the necessary directions for this. It is hoped that the reforms will ensure that anganwadi employees' work is properly valued and will further improve their efficiency.