The Department of Women and Child Development has decided to increase the rent allowance fixed for anganwadi centres across the State.
The increase comes as a relief to hundreds of anganwadi workers who had made repeated requests to the department, urging them to increase the rental allowance as the values of the buildings had soared over the past few years.
The increase in rent will be in rural, urban, and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike limits. The revised rent for anganwadi centres in rural and tribal areas is Rs. 750, from the earlier Rs. 200. In urban areas, the rent has been increased to Rs. 3,000 from Rs. 500. And in the BBMP limits, the rent has been increased from Rs. 750 to Rs. 5,000.
Rama T.C., secretary of the Karnataka Rajya Samyukta Anganawadi Noukarara Sangha, Karnataka State Committee, said the anganwadi workers were finding it difficult to run the centres as the government’s reimbursement was not enough to meet the rent expenses. “We often have to rely on funds from organisations to pay the rent.”
Ms. Rama said, “this move was long overdue as rents even in rural areas had increased and it was difficult for anganwadi workers to bear the cost.”
However, she also urged the government to ensure that there was no delay in payment of rents.
Sources in the Department of Women and Child Development said the increase in rent would come into effect from this month. “The increase is part of the Union government’s decision to restructure the Integrated Child Development Services,” the source said.
