The Gujarat High Court has ordered a major hike in the monthly wages of anganwadi workers and helpers across the state, nearly doubling their existing pay. Under the new ruling, anganwadi workers will now receive ₹24,800 per month, up from ₹10,000, while helpers will get ₹20,300 instead of ₹5,500. The revised wages will take effect from April 1, 2025, and arrears will also be paid from that date.
Anganwadi centres, run under a flagship scheme of the central government, provide nutrition and early childcare for children under six years of age, as well as support for pregnant women and lactating mothers. Gujarat currently has nearly one lakh anganwadi workers and helpers engaged in these services.
Delivering its order on Wednesday, a division bench observed that the previous wages were far too meagre given the nature of duties performed by these workers. It said that denying them a fair “living wage” violated their fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution. The court noted that workers who dedicate themselves to the health and education of children and the welfare of mothers should not be forced to live without dignity due to inadequate pay.
The bench clarified that its decision would apply to all anganwadi workers and helpers in the state, including those who had not approached the court, sparing them the need to file separate petitions. The new wages will also be subject to future revisions whenever the state or central government revises rates.
The court, however, set aside an earlier single-judge order that had granted retrospective wages for three years prior to the petitions being filed. It said implementing that order would have created a heavy financial burden on the state. The judges also ruled that the principle of “equal pay for equal work” could not be applied in this case, as anganwadi staff could not be treated on par with permanent government employees in terms of qualifications, duties, and pay scales.
Earlier, a single-judge bench had directed the government to treat anganwadi staff on par with regular civil servants and to consider their absorption into government service, a demand that was also raised in multiple petitions. The workers had argued that the honorarium paid to them was in violation of Articles 14, 16, 21, and 23 of the Constitution, and sought regularisation of their services.
With this order, the Gujarat High Court has recognised the vital contribution of anganwadi workers and helpers to maternal and child welfare, while balancing the state’s financial responsibility by limiting retrospective payments.
