The All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH) has criticized the recent Budget 2025-26 announcement regarding POSHAN 2.0, calling it "deceptive."
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech in Parliament on Saturday, claimed that the cost norms for nutritional support under the scheme would be enhanced. However, the Anganwadi federation argues that the allocation tells a different story.
According to an AIFAWH press release, the budget for Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 in 2025-26 stands at Rs 21,960 crore, a marginal increase from the Rs 21,809.64 crore spent in 2023-24—an addition of just Rs 150.36 crore. Compared to last year’s budget estimate of Rs 21,200 crore, the increase fails to account for inflation, effectively resulting in a real-term reduction in funding.
The federation also condemned the government’s failure to increase the honorarium for lakhs of Anganwadi workers and helpers, who continue to work without any social security benefits.
Commenting on the cost norms for supplementary nutrition, which were last revised in 2017, AIFAWH pointed out that the actual increase in nutritional spending amounts to just 5 paise per child per day over a span of seven years. The statement highlighted the alarming levels of malnutrition in the country, citing government data that shows:
• 37% of children (0-6 years)—approximately six crore—are stunted,
• 17% (2.7 crore children) are underweight, and
• 8.8 lakh children under five die annually in India.
In response to the Budget, AIFAWH announced that it would join the nationwide protest organized by Central Trade Unions against what it called an "anti-worker" budget.
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
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