Budget Proposal on POSHAN 2.0 ‘Deceptive’ as Allocation for Scheme Has Been Cut: AIFAWH

New Delhi: The All-India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH) has termed as “deceptive” the announcement that for POSHAN 2.0 the “cost norms for nutritional norms will be enhanced”. The announcement was made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech in Parliament on Saturday.

“The statement turned out to be deceptive as the budget allocation for Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0. Scheme for 2025-26 is Rs. 21,960.00 Cr against Rs. 21,809.64 Cr budget expenditure in 2023-24, a mere increase of Rs.150.36 Cr. The budget estimate last year was Rs. 21,200.00 Cr. If we consider inflation, there is actual reduction in budget allocation,” AIFWAH said in a press release.

It also protested that no hike had been announced in the honorarium of lakhs of Anganwadi women workers and helpers, who have no social security benefits either.

Reacting to the Budget announcement on POSHAN 2.0 (earlier known as the Integrated Child Development Scheme or ICDS), the Anganwadi federation said: “The cost norms for supplementary nutrition were last revised in 2017. Even if we calculate it as an actual increase, for around 10 Crore beneficiaries (8 crore children and 2 crore pregnant women lactating mothers for 300 days a year) the increase in cost for nutrition in this budget is a ridiculous 5 paise per child after seven years! This is when even the government data shows that 37% of our children (0-6 years) or nearly six crore children are stunted and 17% of them or 2.7 crore children are underweight. Nearly 8.8 lakh under-five children die every year in India.”

The Anganwadi union also announced that it would join a protest called by Central Trade Unions against the “anti-worker” Budget 2025-26.

Read the full press release below:

Protest Against the anti-working class Budget 2025-26!

Ø  No increase in Wages of Anganwadi Workers/Helpers or any Scheme workers!

Ø No Viksit Bharat Possible without adequate allocation for Basic Services Scheme!

Ø AIFAWH will join the protest by Central Trade Unions against the Budget 2025-26 on 5th February 2025

All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH) strongly condemns the anti-people Union Budget 2025-26 which once again deceived the working people of the country.

The Finance Minister in her speech hailed the Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0. (Earlier ICDS) Scheme and announced that the “cost norms for these nutritional norms will be enhanced” for the scheme. The statement turned out to be deceptive as the budget allocation for Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0. Scheme for 2025-26 is Rs. 21960.00 Cr against Rs. 21809.64 Cr budget expenditure in 2023-24, a mere increase of Rs.150.36 Cr. The budget estimate last year was Rs. 21200.00 Cr. If we consider inflation, there is actual reduction in budget allocation.

The cost norms for supplementary nutrition were last revised in 2017. Even if we calculate it as an actual increase, for around 10 Crore beneficiaries (8 crore children and 2 crore pregnant women lactating mothers for 300 days a year) the increase in cost for nutrition in this budget is a ridiculous 5 paise per child after seven years! This is when even the government data shows that 37% of our children (0-6 years) or nearly six crore children are stunted and 17% of them or 2.7 crore children are underweight. Nearly 8.8 lakh under-five children die every year in India.

Although the government announced to build two lakhs (out of 14 lakhs) ‘Saksham Anganwadis’ in Budget 2022, as of today, even the permission is granted for only less than one lakh centres. This year, when the ICDS is completing fifty years, more than 3.38 lakh anganwadi centres do not have clean drinking water and 4.61 lakh centres do not have toilet facilities! This is how ‘Vishwa Guru’ is treating its children and leading us to ‘Vikasit Bharat’!

 There is no increase in the other schemes of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ or PM Matru Vandana Yojana’ Schemes under WCD Ministry.

 The budget has no mention about the grass root level caregivers, nearly 26 lakh anganwadi workers and helpers who are surviving on a pittance of Rs.4500 and Rs.2250 per month since 2018. The government has totally ignored the Supreme Court order granting gratuity to anganwadi workers and helpers and revising the wages and the order of the Gujarat High Court for regularisation of them as Grade III and IV government employees. The budget has also ignored the ASHA workers and MDM workers and other scheme workers.

 This budget is a slap on the face of the anganwadi workers and helpers and also the other scheme workers who dedicatedly work for nation building. The allocations for the schemes have also not been increased.

AIFAWH calls upon the anganwadi workers and helpers throughout the country to rise in rage against this anti - working class pro corporate BJP government and organise Protests Against this Budget 2025-26 at all levels by burning the copies. AIFAWH will join the Central Trade Unions on 5th February 2025 in the protest against the Budget 2025-26.

AIFAWH will intensify the fight for legal entitlements for early childhood education and development of the children and right to minimum wages and pension for the workers. AIFAWH national Convention on 13 February 2025 at Talkatora Stadium will declare the future course of struggles including nationwide strike.

A R Sindhu, General Secretary, AIFAWH