Ahead of lok Sabha polls, there’s good news for around eight lakh Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA). Though their long-pending demand for assured monthly wages of Rs1,000 remains unfulfilled, the Central Government has expanded the routine health activities they can undertake that would safely enable them to earn a monthly honorarium of Rs1,000 per month.
Sources in the Union Health Ministry said as decided by the Mission Steering Group in a meeting recently, new activities such as escorting clients to the hospital for family planning facilities have been added so that ASHAs can earn assured incentives up to Rs1,000 per month while payment rates of existing incentive have been enhanced to make the jobs more lucrative.
Presently, ASHAs were earning around Rs500 through existing routine activities such as mobilising and attending various meetings as well guiding community people.
“Moreover, the cost norm that includes training costs such as refresher training, supervision/support costs, cost of job aids, tools and kits for ASHA and other non-monetary incentives has also been increased from Rs10,000 to Rs16,000 under the NRHM,” said the sources.
As per new revised rates, ASHA workers will get Rs100 against current Rs5 for mobilizing children for OPV immunization under pulse polio programme while Rs1,000 has been earmarked for counselling charges to DOT provider for new TB case and Rs1,500 for bringing to the notice of the centre about the previously treated TB case.
The payment rates have been increased for various activities under the National Tuberculosis Control Programme, National leprosy Eradication Programme (NlEP) and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme to cover malaria and lymphatic Filariasis, the sources added.
Incentives will be given under new activities related to family planning, child health as well for maintaining registers under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme and preparing lists of beneficiaries of
Anganwadi centres.