Tripura Cabinet: Setting up of Aryabhatta International University; Honorariums Of ASHA, Anganwadi, Mid-Day Meal Workers Hiked Among Key Decisions

4th January 2023

Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura

Agartala, January 04, 2022: Multiple decisions have been initiated by the council of ministers of Tripura under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Prof Dr Manik Saha on Tuesday for the welfare of people engaged in different professions, students and development of the entire state.

In a press conference at Civil Secretariat here in Agartala on Tuesday evening, Cabinet spokesperson and ICA minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that the honorariums of retired home guard volunteers and home guards under Home department, hostel inmates under Tribal Welfare and Scheduled Caste Welfare departments, pump operators under DWS department, Anganwadi workers and helpers, ASHA workers, etc. were increased.

Citing the developmental decisions initiated in the cabinet meeting today, Chowdhury said “Decision has been taken to set up Aryabhatta International University in North Tripura district and plot will be provided by the government in lease to the university authority. The nomenclature will be decided by the Higher Education department later on. A total of 34 posts for Tripura Judicial Academy have been created for infrastructural development. Posts of 16 Election Inspectors’ created and TPSC will complete the recruitment procedure. Rate of honorariums for hostel inmates under Tribal Welfare and Scheduled Caste Welfare departments has been increased from Rs 65 to Rs 80. More than 25 numbers of schools under the ‘Vidyajyoti’ scheme have been approved in eight districts. In MBB university, 32 new teaching and non-teaching posts have been created following long-pending demands placed by its VC and Registrar, and recruitments will start soon.”

Claiming that the home guards, ASHA, Anganwadi workers, etc were deprived for the long time during the previous government’s regime, ICA minister said that the council of ministers have hiked the pension of retired home guard volunteers from Rs 750 to Rs 2500, the honorarium of Rs 1500 has been increased to Rs 2500 per month for cook-cum-helpers under Mid-Day Meal scheme, duty allowance of home guards volunteers have been increased by Rs 1000 per month with effect from December 2022 and they will draw Rs 19,140 per month from January onwards, Rs 1000 per month has also been increased for 7,767 ASHA workers under Health and Family Welfare department and Rs 9.32 crore will be additional expenditure for the government.

He said that there 2,434 pump operators under DWS department and 1,751 pump operators under Rural Development (Panchayat) department. Under the DWS department, Rs 2,300 has been increased from the existing Rs 4,710 salary of the pump operators while Rs 2,490 has been increased from existing Rs 5,110 working in Iron Removal Plants.

“Under the Power department, a separate subsidiary body named ‘Tripura Power Transmission Corporation Limited’ (TPTCL) to look after and work for transmission lines under 33KV across the state has been approved by the council of ministers”, Chowdhury told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Social Welfare and Social Education department Tapas Roy said that the honorarium of Rs 600 and Rs 700 has been increased for Anganwadi workers and helpers of 9,911 each, respectively. Hence, workers will draw honorarium of Rs 8,000 and helpers will draw Rs 5,000 with effect from December 2022.