Smriti Irani calls for Anganwadi, ASHA worker outreach

Key Takeaways

Smriti Irani posted on 24 September 2026 urging the public to visit Anganwadi centres during 25 September – 7 October 2026 .

The #AnganMilanSeva programme is part of the wider #SevaSankalpAbhiyan , framed around PM Modi's 25 years of public service .

Anganwadi centres were established under the ICDS scheme in 1975 ; ASHA workers were introduced under the National Rural Health Mission in 2005 .

Both worker categories deliver nutrition, preschool education and doorstep healthcare to women and children across India.

The BJP Mahila Morcha is coordinating the outreach, spotlighting frontline women workers as symbols of 'Nari Shakti'.

Questions around formal pay and working conditions for these workers remain live, even as the campaign publicly celebrates their contribution.

Frontline women workers who deliver nutrition and healthcare to millions of Indian children and mothers are getting a rare moment in the spotlight. BJP leader Smriti Irani on Thursday, 24 September 2026, called on citizens to visit their nearest Anganwadi centre and express gratitude to Anganwadi and ASHA workers as part of the #AnganMilanSeva programme, running from 25 September to 7 October.

Posting in Hindi, Irani framed the appeal as one rooted in respect: 'उनके सेवाभाव का सम्मान नारी शक्ति के प्रति सम्मान और समाज के प्रति हमारी जिम्मेदारी को सुदृढ़ करेगा' — 'Honouring their spirit of service will strengthen our respect for women's power and reinforce our responsibility toward society.' The call is part of the broader #SevaSankalpAbhiyan, a BJP campaign framing the initiative as inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 25 years of public service.

Who are Anganwadi and ASHA workers — and why do they matter?

These are not abstract policy beneficiaries. They are women, typically from the same communities they serve, who form the last mile of India's welfare architecture. Anganwadi centres were established under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme in 1975, providing nutrition, preschool education and basic health services to children under six and their mothers. ASHA workers — Accredited Social Health Activists — were introduced under the National Rural Health Mission in 2005 to extend doorstep healthcare into rural India. Together, they number in the millions and are frequently cited as the backbone of community-level health and nutrition delivery. Yet both categories of workers have long operated on modest, performance-linked honoraria rather than formal salaries, and debates over their pay, status and working conditions have surfaced repeatedly in public discourse. Irani's post does not address those concerns directly, but the act of calling out their contribution — loudly, publicly, to a national political audience — carries weight in that context.

Seva as a political and governance motif

The BJP Mahila Morcha, the party's women's wing tagged in the post, has been central to mobilising outreach events around welfare themes. The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan fits a pattern the party has cultivated consistently — positioning governance not merely as administration but as a moral contract of service, 'seva', between elected leadership and the citizen. Framing the campaign around Modi's 25 years in public life deepens that narrative, tying grassroots activity to a personal leadership milestone. What will matter in the days ahead is the scale of actual participation at Anganwadi centres — and whether the campaign translates into any concrete policy announcements on the pay or recognition of the workers being celebrated.

Point of View

The party reinforces its narrative of continuity and mission-driven governance. The spotlight on Anganwadi and ASHA workers also carries an implicit political calculus, as these women — millions strong and embedded in every constituency — are both beneficiaries and potential amplifiers of party outreach. Whether the campaign produces tangible policy gains for the workers, or remains a visibility exercise, will determine its long-term credibility.

NationPress

25 Sept 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the AnganMilanSeva programme?

AnganMilanSeva is a public outreach programme under the BJP's Seva Sankalp Abhiyan that runs from 25 September to 7 October 2026, encouraging citizens to visit their nearest Anganwadi centre and express gratitude to Anganwadi and ASHA workers.

What is Seva Sankalp Abhiyan?

Seva Sankalp Abhiyan is a BJP campaign built around a service-oriented outreach philosophy, framed by the party as inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 25 years of public service.

Who are ASHA workers and what do they do?

ASHA — Accredited Social Health Activists — are community health volunteers introduced under the National Rural Health Mission in 2005 to provide doorstep health services, particularly in rural India.

What are Anganwadi centres?

Anganwadi centres are community welfare hubs set up under the Integrated Child Development Services scheme in 1975, providing nutrition, preschool education and basic health services to children under six and their mothers.

Why did Smriti Irani post about Anganwadi workers?

Irani posted as part of the BJP's AnganMilanSeva programme to mobilise public participation in honouring frontline women workers in health and nutrition, framing it as a gesture of respect for 'Nari Shakti' — women's power.