For 3 years, 5,900 posts lying vacant in anganwadi centres

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 10

Raising a question mark over the implementation of the Centre’s flagship scheme — Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), a parliamentary panel has pointed out that over 5,900 posts, including supervisors, workers and helpers, have been lying vacant for the past three years in the anganwadi centres in J&K.

According to data, a total of 5,946 posts of staff and key functionaries under the ICDS are lying vacant. Of the total sanctioned posts of 1,308 supervisors, only 932 have been filled and 376 posts are still vacant.

Similarly, of the 31,938 posts of anganwadi workers, 3,231 are vacant. Of the total 31,938 posts of anganwadi helpers, 29,599 posts have been filled. In this category, 2,339 posts are still lying vacant. A Parliamentary Standing Committee revealed this in its survey about the functioning of the ICDS scheme across the country at the ground level.

The panel had expressed concern over the lack of efforts on the part of the state authorities to fill the vacant posts in all three categories for quite some time.

Sources said one of the main reason for the posts, especially of anganwadi workers and helpers, remaining vacant in the state was meagre honorarium. They added that despite the issuance of a notification for hiring in anganwadi centres, the response was not very encouraging.

The sources added that the Central government pays a monthly honorarium of Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500 to workers and helpers, respectively.

Since the additional honorarium is paid by the state from its own financial resources to the workers and helpers, the Centre had recently requested it to increase their salary.

About ICDS

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is a government programme which was launched in 33 blocks on October 2, 1975, in response to the challenge of meeting the holistic needs of children. Later, the scheme was extended to all the districts of J&K. The scheme offers a package of services — supplementary nutrition, pre-school, nutritional and health education, immunisation and health check-up..

Low salary main reason

• One of the main reason for the posts, especially of anganwadi workers and helpers, remaining vacant in the state is meagre honorarium 
• Despite the issuance of a notification for hiring in anganwadi centres, the response has not been very encouraging