The state government today enhanced the remuneration of ASHA and Anganwadi workers, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced today.

The monthly remuneration of ASHA workers has been enhanced by Rs 750 and that of Anganwadi helpers by Rs 500.

Congratulating the state government’s decision Abhishsk Banerjee, national general secretary of Trinamul Congress wrote in his X handle “With Women’s Day approaching Didi @ MamataOfficial makes a major announcement for the women who devote themselves to selflessly helping our people. The monthly remuneration for ASHA & Anganwadi workers has been enhanced by Rs 750 and that of ICDS helpers by Rs 500. Thank YouDidi.”

Miss Mamata Banerjee has said over and again that though the Centre has stopped releasing the money meant for their remuneration, the state government continues to pay it. Miss Banerjee today announced enhancement of their remuneration and that has brought relief to the workers.

The ASHA and Anganwadi workers take part in various state run projects. They visit every household to create awareness about health particularly among women and young girls. During anti-larvae drive they visit the houses to ensure that the dos and don’t instructions are strictly followed by the people.

Meanwhile, the ASHA workers, who were protesting, pressing for their demands had also urged the chief minister Mamata Banerjee to hike their present incentive.

The announcement of a raised incentive of Rs 750 for ASHA and Anganwadi workers and Rs 500 for helpers, brought happy tidings to the self-help group women. They celebrated the announcement, smearing green abir on one another, and distributed sweets among themselves at Hooghly district. The Chinsurah MLA Ashit Mazumdar also joined in, in their celebrations.

One of the ASHA workers, Madhumita Mondal of Chinsurah Kodaliya-1 gram panchayat, said, “We were on protest to press for our demands. We felt deprived. Hike in our present incentive was one of the major demands. We are happy that the state chief minister has announced an added incentive for us. We extend our heartfelt thanks to her. However, the present added incentive is too low than what we expected. We face a lot of problems to meet our ends, hence we request our Didi to further increase the incentive in days to come. We are lifting our protest and returning to work to serve the people.”

MLA Mazumdar said, “Our chief minister is manobik (humane). She came forward to help out the self-help group women in spite of fund limitations. The central government has withheld crores of rupees, trying to stop the progress and development work in west Bengal. Yet the CM is doing her best to look into the needs and wants of the common people.”

The district BJP has ridiculed the hike in the incentive of self-help groups.