Govt mulls honorarium hike

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 12: The Government is considering increasing the honorarium of Anganwadi workers and helpers, said Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo today.
The Minister stated this during a distribution ceremony of the 2nd State Level Indon Maipakpi Memorial Best Anganwadi Centre Award at the SIRD campus at Porompat.
Keibi Kumuda Anganwadi Centre, Imphal East district was given the best Anganwadi Centre Award. The centre's worker Chandam Thoibi Devi and helper Wahengbam Bidyarani were honoured with the award for best worker and helper respectively. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15,000 and citations.
Imphal East's Pourabi Awang Leikai Anganwadi Centre's worker Moirangthem Chandrima Chanu and helper Haobam Minakumari Devi were awarded the second prize. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and citations.
Pourabi Anganwadi Centre's worker Yambem Umarani Devi and helper Ningthoujam Rakhi Devi were awarded the 3rd prize. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5000 and citations.
The award ceremony was jointly organised by the Social Welfare Department and Indon Maipakpi Memorial Trust.
Speaking at the event, Social Welfare Minister H Dingo said the Government is considering increasing the honorarium of the Anganwadi workers and helpers, and extending the service period to 65 years.
He said the Cabinet yesterday discussed the long-standing demand of the workers/helpers to extend the service period.
While the Cabinet didn't approve any extension yesterday, Dingo said the Government takes the issue seriously and will discuss the matter further for possible extension in the near future.
The contributions being made by the Anganwadi workers and helpers are immense. The services they provided to the people during COVID-19 pandemic were commendable, he said.
The Anganwadi workers and helpers do not get paid much. The Government understands their hardships and wants to help them in every possible way, but is constrained by the economic hardship the State is facing, Dingo said.
Manipur's economy is not good and it depends heavily on funds from the Centre. Hence, the Government is unable to raise the honorarium of the workers and helpers.
When the time comes, the Government will raise the honorarium and provide all the benefits it wants to give to the workers and helpers, Dingo added.
He also spoke about the occasion and stated that the award for best Anganwadi centre in the name of late Anganwadi worker Maipakpi, dearly known as Indon Maipakpi, was instituted honouring her contributions.
The contributions of the Anganwadi workers and helpers are immense, Dingo reiterated, urging them to work with dedication and for the benefit of the children and the society.
Manipur has around 22,000 Anganwadi workers and helpers.
Social Welfare Director Ngangom Uttam, SHIJA Hospital Private Limited Chairman and Managing Director Dr Kh Palin, and convenor of Indon Maipakpi Memorial Trust Dr RK Lenin attended the event.