NEW DELHI: They are the driving force behind all government programmes but their own growth and security has taken a backseat. There are 43.3 crore workers in unorganised sector of which an overwhelming 95.9% are women. The government -- as the largest employer -- has on its rolls the services of 41.39 lakh women who receive an average of Rs 50 per day. As the Union budget is finalised activists have demanded that women employed as anganwadi workers, mid-day meal workers and accredited social health activists (ASHAs) be given a fair deal.
They are entrusted with the responsibility of preparing mid-day meals and supplementary nutrition, assisting with inoculations and vaccinations, child birth, awareness and capacity building of women and adolescent girls and early child education.
The National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (2007) report says that the increase in employment between 1999 and 2005 has been of the informal kind. Most of these workers are forced to work under deplorable conditions and are not entitled to minimum wages, social security or paid leave.
Economist Jayati Ghosh in her book, `Never Done, Poorly Paid', says that contractual appointments especially of women workers has increased in both the central and state governments. She says the defence given for underpaying these women is that it allows the government to expand services which are otherwise limited in scope, scale and quality. The result, she says, is that it "tends to undermine the programme itself because of the adverse impact of such misplaced miserliness even when there are critical services related to health, nutrition and basic sanitation.''
The Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA) report on women in unorganised sector says that several centrally-sponsored programmes like Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) employ women as frontline service providers. They are expected to perform multiple roles and act as a primary link between the community and government. CBGA programme officer Bhumika Jhamb says, "However their remuneration continues to fall far below minimum wages and the voluntary nature of the job leaves them vulnerable to exploitation.''
The Centre forks out Rs 1,500 a month for an anganwadi worker and Rs 750 for a helper leaving it to states to supplement the rest. While there are some exceptions like Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry where workers are given medical allowance, house rent or pension, there are others like Orissa, Bihar and Mizoram whose state share is zero.
The case for ASHAs is similar. They receive about Rs 1,400 a month from the Centre as "compensation'' while 20 lakh mid-day meal workers receive Rs 1,000 a month. A CBGA study says that Rs 19,083 crore will be required to provide minimum wage for these workers.
All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers secretary A R Sindhu says, "We want regularisation of our work. We should get at least minimum wages, medical benefits and gratuity to be able to carry out government programmes. Our responsibilities have increased but not the wages.''