Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 8: While Members of Upper House on Wednesday passed resolution to enhance the pension of ex-Legislators from Rs 50,000 to at least Rs one lakh per month, the Government today claimed that process of enhancement of honorarium of Anganwari workers and helpers of ICDS Projects by Rs 500 per month, was under consideration of State Government.
Minister for Social Welfare Sajad Gani Lone was replying to the Question of Congress member Sham Lal Bhagat from Doda. Projecting the issue with regard to meager honorarium of Anganwari workers and helpers, the member pressed that wages of this category be enhanced as it is not possible to feed the family with just Rs 3500 or 3700 wages per month. The Minister claimed that enhancement of honorarium of Anganwari worker and helpers by Rs 500 each per month is under consideration of the Government.
Interestingly not even single member from any party whether BJP, Congress, NC or PDP expressed concern or pressed the Government for providing justice to this category of employees while they were appeared very keen and desperate for passage of resolution with regard to enhancement of pension of ex-Legislators hardly a day ago.
Replying to another question of Sham Lal Bhagat, Sajjad Lone informed that the Anganwari workers are eligible for regularization as supervisors as per seniority and availability of posts.
Giving details, the Minister informed that the Centre’s share for honorarium to Anganwari workers and helpers is Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500, respectively. The actual honorarium paid to Anganwari workers varies from Rs 3,500 to Rs 3,700 while as Anganwari helpers get Rs. 1,840, he added.
He further said the percentage spending on the social development sector has been on the record level during the present dispensation.
Legislators Saif-ud-Din Bhat, Firdous Ahmad Tak, Ghulam Nabi Monga, Khursheed Alam, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, Vibodh Gupta and Surinder Kumar Choudhary also raised supplementary questions to the main question.
Meanwhile, replying to a separate question of Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, the Minister informed that the Government gives due cognizance to the recommendations of Advisory Board for Development of Pahari speaking people for transfer and posting of eligible Wardens and Assistant Wardens in Pahari hostels.
Legislator Vibodh Gupta also raised supplementary question and alleged that some employees were not shifted even after 14 years years . The Minister however, said that he would look into the matter.
Meanwhile replying to another question of Firdous Ahmed Tak, Minister for Science and Technology and SWD Sajjad Lone said that the Government has distributed 40,714 solar home lights (SHLs) and 1,957 solar street lights (SSLs) in last two years.
Replying to a question of Firdous Ahmad Tak, the Minister said that 600 solar street lights were distributed in Gurez, Bandipora in addition to those distributed in the State.
Giving details, the Minister informed that 34,483 SHLs and 2,408 SSLs were procured under Remote Villages Electrification Programme and 10,000 SHLs under JNNSM programme by adopting e-tendering mode.
“These solar home lights have been procured from M/s TATA Power Solar System Ltd, Bangalore at unit rate of Rs 9,581 and solar street lights from M/s Social Engineers Private Limited, Dehradun (W-LED based) at the unit rate of Rs 12,599,” he added.
Tak alleged that there was large scale bungling in Kishtwar district and even some former Sarpanches sold the solar lights on exorbitant rates. He sought probe into the matter.
Legislator Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo also raised supplementary question to the main question and claimed that about 1500 such lights were still lying in the stores in Kishtwar since 2014 and the same were not distributed to the genuine people.
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