By Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a 50% increase in the monthly honorarium of the state’s anganwadi workers and helpers, along with cashless health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh for their families. The announcement, made in Ayodhya ahead of Poshan Maah, will benefit around 2.91 lakh anganwadi workers and helpers across Uttar Pradesh.
The new package will raise the monthly honorarium of anganwadi workers from ₹8,000 to ₹12,000 and that of helpers from ₹4,000 to ₹6,000. Yogi also announced an additional saree for workers, taking the annual allocation from two sarees to three, as well as smartphones aimed at helping anganwadi centres adopt more digital and technology-driven systems.
₹5 lakh cashless health cover for workers and families
Addressing around 12,000 anganwadi workers and helpers at an ICDS felicitation programme in Ayodhya Dham, Yogi said workers, helpers and their families would be eligible for cashless treatment of up to ₹5 lakh a year at empanelled government hospitals and medical colleges.
The programme was attended virtually by representatives from all 75 districts. The chief minister also handed over appointment letters to newly recruited anganwadi workers and helpers.
He described anganwadi centres as an important foundation for building a healthier society and recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier comparison of anganwadi workers with Mata Yashoda.
Yogi said children often encounter anganwadi workers at an early stage of their lives and argued that better health and care during childhood would contribute to a healthier and more capable generation.
Honorarium has risen fourfold since 2017
The chief minister highlighted the change in remuneration since his government came to power. He said anganwadi workers received ₹3,000 a month before 2017, while helpers received ₹1,500.
Their honorarium was subsequently increased to ₹8,000 and ₹4,000 respectively, with performance-linked provisions, and has now been raised again to ₹12,000 and ₹6,000.
The government has also provided 1.28 lakh smartphones in the first phase to support real-time data entry and digital monitoring at anganwadi centres. An additional ₹20 crore has been allocated for the third saree, calculated at ₹500 per saree.
Following Yogi’s announcement, the state government issued a formal order approving the enhanced honorarium. Additional Chief Secretary for Women Welfare and Child Development Leena Johri issued the government order.
The revised honorarium will take effect from September 2026, with the increased amount scheduled to be paid from October 2026.
The government order cited the growing responsibilities of anganwadi workers and helpers, including early childhood care and education, nutrition services, increasing use of digital platforms and coordination with different departmental schemes.
Yogi targets previous governments over anganwadi centres
During his address, Yogi also criticised previous state governments, alleging that anganwadi centres were poorly maintained before 2017 and that children often had to bring their own mats to sit on.
He further alleged that basic facilities such as drinking water were missing and claimed that funds provided by the Centre for nutrition programmes were misused.
The chief minister contrasted that period with the changes he said had taken place under his government.
Ayodhya’s transformation also features in speech
Yogi used the Ayodhya event to highlight the city’s wider transformation, saying infrastructure and public facilities had improved significantly over the past decade.
He referred to the development of four-lane roads, the grand railway station and the international airport named after Maharishi Valmiki. He also pointed to the doubling of the railway line, the rejuvenation of Ram Ki Paidi and Ayodhya’s development as a solar city.
The chief minister accused the Samajwadi Party and Congress of opposing not only the Ram Temple but also infrastructure projects in Ayodhya. He said the construction of the temple and the city’s broader development continued despite political opposition.
CM reviews new Ram temple Trust setup
Yogi’s Ayodhya visit also included his first interaction with the newly appointed CEO-led management team of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
Air Marshal (Retd) Jeetendra Mishra, who was recently appointed CEO of the Trust, welcomed the chief minister at the Ram temple. After offering prayers to Ram Lalla, Yogi participated in an informal meeting with Trust officials, including Treasurer Mahesh Bhagchandka and Mishra.
The meeting came after the Trust introduced changes to its administrative structure following a controversy surrounding donations.
According to Trust sources, the chief minister sought updates on the new two-tier administrative system, financial management, security arrangements, pilgrim facilities and coordination with government agencies. Transparency, security and improving the experience of visitors were among the issues discussed.
Mishra formally assumed charge on September 8. Earlier, he had visited Ayodhya from September 3 to 5 to familiarise himself with the Trust’s operations.
Before Yogi’s arrival, Mishra had chaired a staff meeting at the temple complex covering finance and accounts, internal audit, IT and digital monitoring, human resources, project management and pilgrim facilitation.
Trust sources said Mishra has emphasised professional and transparent functioning, with the aim of bringing different departments under a unified chain of command and reducing the need for trustees to handle routine administrative matters.
Anganwadi centres and workers honoured
Earlier in the day, Yogi inspected departmental stalls, distributed ‘poshahar’ to women and performed an ‘annaprashan’ ceremony for children. High-performing anganwadi centres were also felicitated, along with girls associated with the Everest Base Camp campaign.
Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, Women Welfare Minister Baby Rani Maurya, Minister of State Pratibha Shukla, Ayodhya Mayor Girishpati Tripathi and senior officials were present at the programme.
The announcements place anganwadi workers at the centre of the state’s nutrition and early-childhood care agenda while adding financial, healthcare and digital-support measures to their existing responsibilities.
