Unpaid backbone of Kashmir: The silent struggles of Anganwadi workers

Anganwadi workers in Kashmir face meager pay, overwork, and lack of recognition despite essential role in healthcare.

Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir: Underpaid, overworked, and unrecognized, thousands of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) across Kashmir silently hold up the foundation of rural healthcare, child nutrition, and maternal welfare. Despite their indispensable role, these women earn a meager ₹5,100 per month, a sum that barely covers their survival, let alone their families' needs.

"Stronger Anganwadi workers mean a stronger Kashmir. But the truth is, the work they do is far more than what they are paid for," says Mehmooda, Senior Anganwadi Worker.

For decades, Anganwadi Workers have fought for fair wages, job security, and dignity, yet their demands continue to fall on deaf ears.

Their struggles extend beyond financial hardship; they battle delayed salaries, excessive workloads, and lack of basic benefits like pensions and promotions.

Many retire without any financial security, left to fend for themselves after dedicating their lives to public service.

Established in 1975 under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program, Anganwadi centers provide nutrition support, preschool education, maternal care, and immunization. These women track malnourished children, assist pregnant mothers, and even conduct government surveys yet they are treated as volunteers, not employees.

"If we went on strike for just a week, the entire rural health system would collapse," continues Mehmooda, an Anganwadi worker with 20 years of service, "from surveys to health care, we do everything, like maintaining 13+ registers on health and nutrition data, what do we get in return?

₹5,100 a month sometimes delayed for months. We are overworked, underpaid, and disrespected. The government must recognize our contributions and ensure fair wages."

For helpers like Misra Begum, the situation is even worse. After 15 years of service, her salary stands at a shocking ₹2,500 per month:

“How can I feed my family? Every day is a struggle, and the government refuses to acknowledge us.”

"In today's expensive era, surviving on low pay is nearly impossible," she adds. "Prices of essential goods have skyrocketed a 5kg box of oil now costs ₹1,000 so how can we possibly manage with such a meager income? Our families' needs are not being met at all, and we are left to suffer."

More Work, Less Pay, And No Recognition

Anganwadi Workers are not just childcare providers; they are frontline warriors during health crises, organizing vaccination drives, maintaining medical records, and assisting in emergencies. Yet, instead of appreciation, they face constant scrutiny and criticism.

Shahina, another Anganwadi worker, describes the injustice of their workload: the meager wages and overwhelming workload, calling it "a life of endless struggle with no recognition."

"We work tirelessly, attending duty every day, tracked by geo-tagging and biometric verification, yet we earn only ₹5,100 a month an amount that doesn’t even cover basic survival," she said.

She highlighted the burdensome bureaucratic hurdles Anganwadi workers face, particularly in government schemes like PMMVY:

"We fill out forms repeatedly, sometimes even paying out of our own pockets, yet instead of appreciation, we are met with criticism from both the government and the public," she said

"Our workload justifies a salary of at least ₹30,000, yet we receive a fraction of that. Even ₹15,000 would show some recognition of our efforts. But the truth is, we are always overlooked, and no one seems to care how we survive."

Anganwadi union leader Shameema highlights systemic neglect, citing outdated seniority lists and lack of promotions. In some regions, records from 1998 remain unchanged, denying workers any career progression.

She also raises the lack of pensions as a major concern:

"When an Anganwadi worker retires, she is sent home empty-handed. No pension, no benefits. It’s a grave injustice.”

Reyaz Ahmad Wani, CDPO Child Development Project Officer, Rafiabad Baramulla, acknowledged the financial struggles of Anganwadi workers but admitted that "their honorarium is fixed, and our voice holds little weight in changing it."

While refraining from commenting on their hardships, he stated, "In my personal opinion, the government should provide at least ₹300 per day as compensation."

However, he noted that salary delays are common and that "workers must rely on their unions to raise these concerns, as we have no authority to push for change."

Social policy expert Dr. Javaid Rashid calls it a national failure

Dr Javaid Rashid emphasized the urgent need to address the plight of Anganwadi workers in Kashmir, calling it a "pressing concern that demands immediate government attention."

"These workers are the backbone of our school nutrition and healthcare system, yet they remain underpaid and overworked. This neglect not only pushes them into poverty but also compromises essential services for children and mothers," he said.

He stressed the need for "fair wages, standardized employment policies, and structured training programs to ensure their permanent induction into the system."

Without substantial government investment, he warned, "we risk not only failing these workers but also jeopardizing the health and future of an entire generation. Children make up nearly 40% of our population investing in their well-being should be a national priority."

For many workers, survival is a daily battle. Fareeda, a single mother, breaks down as she explains her meager salary while ensuring her child gets an education.

“Some days, it feels like even breathing depends on this pay,” she says. “When our salaries are delayed for months, only Allah knows how I manage to feed my child. There were times I couldn’t afford his school fees, and his education suffered because of it. We are pleading with the government recognize our struggle and give us wages that reflect the work we do. We deserve better, and our children deserve a future free from this constant hardship.”

Their demand is simple fair wages, job security, and dignity. The women who feed the nation’s children should not have to starve themselves. If Kashmir’s Anganwadi workers remain ignored, the very foundation of rural healthcare will collapse.