Patna, Sep 9 (IANS) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has fulfilled a major pre-election promise by approving a hike in the honorarium of Anganwadi workers and assistants in Bihar.
The decision was finalised during a Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday in Patna, where 26 proposals from various departments were cleared.
Under the revised structure, Anganwadi workers will now receive Rs 9,000 per month, while assistants will get Rs 4,500.
Earlier, workers were paid Rs 7,000 and assistants Rs 4,000. The increase will take effect from October 1, 2025.
To implement this decision, the Social Welfare Department has been sanctioned an additional Rs 345.19 crore annually.
For years, Anganwadi workers and assistants had been demanding a revision of their honorarium. The announcement comes as a major relief to nearly 2.5 lakh Anganwadi staff across Bihar, who play a critical role in child nutrition, maternal health, and early childhood education under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.
The move is being seen as part of Nitish Kumar’s broader pre-election welfare drive, with the Chief Minister unveiling a series of initiatives aimed at different sections of society.
Recently, the government also announced women-centric schemes, including the launch of pink buses dedicated to female passengers.
Apart from that, the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has approved a series of important proposals across multiple departments, signaling a push for housing, security modernisation, and welfare ahead of the Assembly elections.
Under the Urban Development and Housing Department, the Cabinet approved the allocation of one acre of surplus State Housing Board land each in Begusarai and Katihar districts.
The land will be handed over to the Housing Board at a token rent of just Rs 1 for the construction of houses for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
In a significant decision under the Home Department, the cabinet approved the appointment of the Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission, 2018, superseding the earlier 2010 regulations and the installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations, district headquarters, and jails across Bihar.
The approval for the purchase of CCTV systems and related equipment, aimed at boosting surveillance, transparency, and law enforcement efficiency.
The Cabinet also cleared various proposals related to health, education, social welfare, planning and development, food, public distribution and consumer affairs, and the Panchayati Raj Department.
With Assembly elections nearing, the Nitish Kumar government has been rolling out successive welfare measures — from increasing honorariums for Anganwadi workers to launching pink buses for women commuters. Political analysts view these Cabinet approvals as part of a larger strategy to appeal to women, the poor, and grassroots communities.
–IANS
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