Lok Sabha Question No. 3306 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Welfare Schemes for ASHA Workers
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3306 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 th  DECEMBER, 2021

## WELFARE SCHEMES FOR ASHA WORKERS

## 3306.  SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  Accredited  Social  Health  Activists  (ASHAs)  enrolled,  State/UTwise including Gujarat;
- (b) whether the Government intends to provide some career progression path such as reserving some seats in ANM courses, fee subsidy etc. to ASHAs who might be interested in pursuing further studies?
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of other schemes rolled out for welfare of ASHAs in the country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a)         ASHAs are envisaged to be community health volunteer and are only entitled to task/activity based incentives. As per NHM-MIS report (as on 30.06.2021), State-wise details  of  total  number  of  ASHAs  under  National  Health  Mission  (NHM),  including Gujarat, is placed at Annexure-I .
- (b) & (c) Public Health and Hospitals is a State Subject, therefore the facilities provided to  ASHAs  including  career  progression  path  varies  from  State  to  State  including  the best performing ASHA with aptitude for leadership and mentoring are selected as ASHA Facilitators.

As per operational guidelines of Community Processes, ASHA who have formal education  of  12 th class  who  are  interested  and  willing  they  can  take  admission  to ANM/GNM  schools  as  a  career  progression  path.  However,  specific  policies  are implemented by the States/UTs for career progression of ASHAs.

d) In  the  year  2018,  the  ASHA  benefit  package  was  introduced  acknowledging significant contribution and commitment of ASHAs. The package providing coverage for:

-  Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana (PMJJBY) with a benefit Rs. 2.00 Lakh in case of death of the insured (annual premium of Rs. 330 contributed by GOI).
-  Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana (PMSBY) with a benefit of Rs.2.00 lakh for  accidental  death  or  permanent  disability;  Rs.  1.00  lakh  for  partial  disability (annual premium of Rs. 12 contributed by GOI).
-  Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan Dhan (PM-SYM) with pension benefit of Rs. 3000 pm after age of 60 years (50% contribution of premium by GOI and 50% by beneficiaries).

Under the recently launched Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, Insurance Scheme has been introduced for all health workers, including ASHAs. This insurance scheme  provides  an  insurance  cover  of  Rs.  50.00  Lakhs  in-case  of  loss  of  life  on account of COVID-19 related duty.

Annexure-I Details of ASHAs under National Health Mission (NHM)

| Sr. No.   | States/UTs             |   No. of ASHAs |
|-----------|------------------------|----------------|
| 1.        | Bihar                  |          92597 |
| 2.        | Chhatisgarh            |          71486 |
| 3.        | Himachal Pradesh       |          32388 |
| 4.        | Jammu & Kashmir        |          12595 |
| 5.        | Jharkhand              |          42670 |
| 6.        | Madhya Pradesh         |          81683 |
| 7.        | Orissa                 |          47348 |
| 8.        | Rajasthan              |          66959 |
| 9.        | Uttar Pradesh          |         164341 |
| 10.       | Uttarakhand            |          13111 |
| 11.       | Arunachal Pradesh      |           4082 |
| 12.       | Assam                  |          32546 |
| 13.       | Manipur                |           4009 |
| 14.       | Meghalaya              |           6827 |
| 15.       | Mizoram                |           1170 |
| 16.       | Nagaland               |           1992 |
| 17.       | Sikkim                 |            656 |
| 18.       | Tripura                |           8044 |
| 19.       | Andhra Pradesh         |          42209 |
| 20.       | Gujarat                |          48858 |
| 21.       | Haryana                |          20120 |
| 22.       | Karnataka              |          46996 |
| 23.       | Kerala                 |          30405 |
| 24.       | Maharashtra            |          68656 |
| 25.       | Punjab                 |          21847 |
| 26.       | Tamil Nadu             |           4309 |
| 27.       | Telangana              |          32575 |
| 28.       | West Bengal            |          63609 |
| 29.       | A&N Island             |            422 |
| 30.       | D&N Haveli/Daman & Diu |            670 |
| 31.       | Delhi                  |           6045 |
| 32.       | Ladakh                 |            593 |
| 33.       | Lakshadweep            |            110 |
| 34.       | Puducherry             |            220 |
| Total     | Total                  |        1072148 |

Source: NHM-MIS report as on June 2021.

Note: ASHAs exist in all States/UTs except Goa and Chandigarh