HC: Formulate policy to absorb anganwadi personnel in government service | India News – Times of India

AHMEDABAD: In a major judgment that could benefit 1.06 lakh women in Gujarat and over 24 lakh women across the country, the High Court of Gujarat has ruled that anganwadi workers (AWWs) and anganwadi helpers (AWHs) have the right to be incorporated as “permanent employees holding civilian posts” in the central or state governments.
Justice Nikhil Kariel directed the Center and the state government to jointly formulate a policy for inclusion of AWWs and AWHs in government services and confer the consequential benefit of regularization of their jobs under the law. Integrated child development services (ICDS), a centrally sponsored programme. Their inclusion in the civil service in Gujarat was ordered under the Gujarat Civil Services (Classification and Recruitment) (General) Rules, 1967.
The HC further ordered consideration of salary of AWWs and AWHs in the minimum wage scale available for Class 3 and Class 4 posts respectively. The government was also ordered to pay arrears and in the case of the petitioners, the cut-off date will be three years before the date of filing of the petitions, which was in 2015. This is because the women who work in these positions are paid. an honorarium, Rs 10,000 for AWWs and Rs 5,500 for AWHs, which is much less than a class 4 employee working four hours a day in such a category.
The HC in its order directed the Center and the state government to complete the policy formulation within six months from the date of uploading the verdict on the HC’s portal, which happened last week. In its order, the HC further held that until the government takes an appropriate decision in this regard, the petitioners are entitled to salary in the minimum wage scale in Class 3 and Class 4 posts.
The HC’s directions are in response to hundreds of petitions filed in 2015 by AWWs and AWHs who have been working for over a decade and seeking regularization of employment and minimum wages. Alleging discrimination and exploitation, the women working at these posts urged the court to rule that the system of employing them on honorarium under the ICDS scheme is contrary to constitutional provisions.
The HC in its order noted that “discrimination against AWWs and AWHs vis-à-vis government employees plays a major role in terms of the functions, duties and responsibilities of the AWWs and AWHs as compared to the emoluments paid to the AWWs and AWHs . .” The HC further stated in its order that these women are paid very little considering that an AWW is required to work as a paramedic, counselor, coordinator, PR manager, event manager, clerk, kindergarten teacher, and more. They are also required to attend the anganwadi between 9:00 am and 3:45 pm. The court in its judgment stated that “although the government takes pride in running a scheme like ICDS, it pays very little to the workers, while there is a master-servant. relationship exists between the State of Gujarat and the AWWs and AWHs”.