Anganwadi workers protest against increasing workload, wage stagnation

Anantapur-Puttaparthi: Anganwadi workers across the State have been staging protests to address a host of issues, including wage increase, pension, retirement benefits, regularisation of their services. Their agitation also stems from the frustration with the increased push for digitisation under PM-Poshan Abhiyaan, which has shifted their care giving roles to data collectors.

Under PM-Poshan Abhiyaan, Anganwadi workers’ honorarium - Rs 10,000 for workers and Rs 7,000 for helpers - has been linked to data entry requirements through mobile apps. These helpers, categorised as ‘volunteers’ under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, are instrumental in early childcare and providing nutrition to pregnant women and children. However, the push for digitisation has significantly increased their workload.

PM-Poshan Abhiyaan has introduced ICDS-CAS (Common Application Software) for nutrition and growth monitoring. This was followed by PM Poshan Tracker, which focuses on real-time data collection and 360° profiling of Anganwadis. However, the increased digitisation burden - tracking daily attendance, monitoring, and entering data across multiple modules - has overwhelmed workers.

In Andhra Pradesh, supervisors demand daily updates showing 100% statistics, pressuring workers to upload data even during night when server traffic is lower. Despite providing smartphones under ICDS budget, technical issues like non-functional devices and language barriers exacerbate their challenges.

Additionally, there is growing resistance to the use of facial recognition systems (FRS) for beneficiary authentication, particularly in Andhra Pradesh. Failures in the system often force pregnant women to visit Anganwadi centers in person, further extending the workers’ responsibilities. Protests have demanded an end to these systems due to their inefficiency and the undue burden they impose.

The digitisation efforts aim to facilitate real-time governance, but they have turned Anganwadi workers into perpetual data collectors, leaving little time for them for caregiving roles. Workers must maintain both digital and physical records due to frequent app failures, creating redundancy and confusion. They are also tasked with promotional activities, such as Yoga Day events, which are monitored digitally, adding to their workload.

Despite their expanding roles, Anganwadi workers’ wages have stagnated, and they are denied benefits such as health insurance or pensions. Treated as ‘volunteers’, they do not qualify for employee benefits yet ineligible for welfare schemes due to being classified as government employees. Workers are demanding single-app integration to reduce redundancy in data entry, functional and accessible digital tools, including apps in local languages, recognition as full-time employees with corresponding benefits and eligibility for state welfare schemes.

Contrary to the belief that technology simplifies work, the digitisation under PM-Poshan Abhiyaan has increased the workload of Anganwadi workers, exacerbating stress and dissatisfaction. Their protests reflect a larger struggle for recognition, fair treatment, and elimination of systemic contradictions that undermine their contributions to community health and nutrition.