Mission Steering Group of NHM gave nod to enhance ASHA workers' incentives: Nadda in RS

New Delhi, Mar 11 (PTI) The Mission Steering Group of the National Health Mission has decided to raise the incentives of ASHA workers, and the government will go ahead with it, Union Health Minister J P Nadda informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday amid demands for enhancing the remuneration of such workers from some states.

The Mission Steering Group (MSG) is the highest policy-making and steering institution under the National Health Mission (NHM).

Replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour, Nadda lauded the work done by ASHA workers across the country in helping reduce infant and maternal mortality rates, and the government recognises their role at the grassroots level.

"ASHA workers are doing a very good job and (have) my full appreciation for them because, at the grassroots level, their efforts have helped reduce maternal mortality, IMR (Infant Mortality Rate) and under-five mortality rate levels," the health minister told the Upper House.

"I would like to enlighten the House that a week ago, there was a meeting of the mission steering group of the NHM where we have seen to it that the ASHA workers, due to their activities.... there has to be enhancement of their financial part, which the mission steering group has given the permission, and we will be going forward with it," Nadda said.

In response to another question that the Health Ministry is yet to pay pending dues to the Kerala government, he said, "As far as the Kerala government is concerned, the Government of India has given all its due, (but) the utilisation certification has not come." "The moment the certification (comes)... the amount to the ASHA workers and the state of Kerala would be given accordingly. But at this point, our share has been given to ASHA workers and the government," the minister said amid uproar by opposition members.

Meanwhile, MPs of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala held a protest in Parliament, demanding that the honorarium of ASHA workers be raised to Rs 21,000 and they should receive Rs 5 lakh as retirement benefits.

Responding to another question in the Rajya Sabha on making doctors' recruitment time-bound, Nadda said, "There is no financial constraint on creating infrastructure. But we are trying that states should enhance their capacity building." "We are also working on national quality assurance standards to help improve the quality. We are also doing capacity building and are monitoring the work of states," the Union health minister said.

Congress members from Kerala and Tamil Nadu Monday raised in the Lok Sabha the remuneration issue of ASHA workers and their demand for social security cover, saying the "blame game" between the Centre and the Kerala government is not helping the cause of the healthcare volunteers. PTI SKC SKC NSD NSD