Lok Sabha Question No. 902 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-07
Subject: Remuneration of ASHA Workers
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri G Kumar Naik

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 902 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2025

## REMUNERATION OFASHAWORKERS

## 902. SHRI G KUMAR NAIK:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether measures are being taken to improve ASHA workers' job security, social security benefits, and working conditions, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of ASHA workers' remuneration, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has assessed the feasibility of providing fixed remuneration along with performance-based incentives, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government has any plans to increase the pay and incentives of ASHA and Anganwadi workers, particularly in backward regions with poor health indicators, such as Aspirational Districts, given their critical role in bridging health gaps and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (d): The primary responsibility of strengthening public healthcare system, including support for ASHA workers lies with the respective State/UT Governments. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides the technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen their public healthcare system, based on the requirements posted by States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) and within the overall resource envelope.

ASHAs receive a fixed monthly incentive of Rs. 2000 per month in the country, for routine and recurring activities. Additionally, they are provided performance-based incentives for a varied set of activities under various National Health Programmes. The Government has approved additional incentives for ASHAs in September, 2022. The details of these ASHA incentives are available on the following Uniform Resources Locator (URL):

https://nhm.gov.in/New-Update-2023-24/ASHA/Orders\_and\_guidelines/ASHA-INCENT IVES.pdf

Further, States/UTs provide additional incentives to ASHA workers over and above the incentives provided by the Government of India and the details are at Annexure-I .

After the launch of Ayushman Arogya Mandir, ASHAs are eligible additionally for Team Based Incentives (TBIs) along with ANMs based on monitored performance indicators (up to 1000 per month). ASHAs are also entitled to non-monetary incentives like - ASHA Uniform, Identity Card, Cycle, Mobile, CUG Sim, ASHA Diary, Drug Kit, ASHA rest room etc. The Government has also approved a cash award of ₹20,000/- and a citation to ASHAs who leave the programme after working as ASHAs for minimum of 10 years, as acknowledgement of their contribution.

In the year 2018, the ASHA benefit package was introduced acknowledging significant contribution and commitment of ASHAs. The package provides 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 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 contributed by GOI).

In addition, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan Dhan (PM-SYM) with pension benefit of ₹3,000/pm after age of 60 years (50% contribution of premium by GOI and 50% by beneficiaries) is also available for ASHA workers. ASHAs across the States/UTs have been enrolled in all the above-mentioned Social Security Schemes as per the defined eligibility norms.

Also, a health care annual coverage of ₹5 Lakhs under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB- PMJAY) has been extended to all ASHAs workers.

As informed by Ministry of Women and Child Development, Anganwadi workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) are honorary workers and paid a monthly honorarium as decided by the Government from time to time. From 1st October, 2018, the honorarium of AWWs at main- Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) is Rs.4,500/- per month; AWWs at mini- AWCs is Rs.3,500/- per month; Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) is Rs.2,250/- per month; and introduced performance linked incentive of Rs.250/- per month to AWHs and Rs.500 to AWWs. In addition, States/UTs are also paying additional monetary incentives/honorarium to these functionaries from their own resources which vary from State to State.

## State Specific ASHA Incentives

|   Sl. No | State/UT          | State specific fixed/top up incentive to ASHAs from State Fund                                                                                     |
|----------|-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | A&NI              | Rs. 500/- per month is being provided to every ASHAfor the betterment of villagers                                                                 |
|        2 | Andhra Pradesh    | Provides balance amount to match the total incentive of Rs.10, 000/month/ASHA                                                                      |
|        3 | Arunachal Pradesh | Rs. 2000 Per Month (100% top-up, frequency of disbursement quarterly)                                                                              |
|        4 | Bihar             | Additional performance-based incentives of Rs. 1000/month/ASHA and Rs. 1000/month/ASHA Facilitator from state fund                                 |
|        5 | Chhattisgarh      | 75% of matching amount of incentives from state fund over the incentives earned by ASHA.                                                           |
|        6 | Delhi             | Core incentives is Rs. 3000/- per month for functional ASHAplus certain state specific activity incentives.                                        |
|        7 | Gujarat           | 50% TOP UP/ per month over total GOI incentive and 2500/month fix Incentive                                                                        |
|        8 | Haryana           | Rs.4000/PM/ASHA and 50% top-up (Excluding Routine recurring incentive) and Rs. 450/- additional linked with performance of 05 Major RCH activities |
|        9 | Himachal Pradesh  | Rs. 4700/- (State incentive has been increased by Rs. 500/-, therefore, total incentive payable w.e.f. April, 2023 is Rs. 5200/-)                  |
|       10 | Jharkhand         | Top up of 1000/- on performance-based incentive of 14 key indicator                                                                                |
|       11 | Karnataka         | The State Govt is providing Rs.5000 per month as Monthly fixed honararium to ASHAs                                                                 |
|       12 | Kerala            | Rs. 6000 per month as ASHAHonorarium from state government fund                                                                                    |
|       13 | Maharashtra       | Rs. 3500/month/ASHA                                                                                                                                |
|       14 | Manipur           | Rs. 1000/- per ASHA/month.                                                                                                                         |
|       15 | Meghalaya         | State Fixed Incentive - Rs. 2000/month and State Covid Incentive - Rs. 1000/- pm                                                                   |
|       16 | Madhya Pradesh    | Rs. 4000/month/ASHA and 200/month/ASHA Facilitator from state fund                                                                                 |
|       17 | Odisha            | 1000/- per month as conditional assured incentive                                                                                                  |
|       18 | Puducherry        | Fixed amount of Rs. 3000/ASHA/month                                                                                                                |
|       19 | Punjab            | Rs. 2500 Per Month Per ASHA/ASHAFacilatator                                                                                                        |
|       20 | Rajasthan         | Rs. 1650/ASHA/Month from State Govt Fund                                                                                                           |

## Annexure-I

|   21 | Sikkim        | Monthly fixed honorarium of Rs 6000/- disburse from State Fund, recently Government of Sikkim announce hike in fixed honorarium from Rs 6000/- to Rs 10000/-   |
|------|---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   22 | Tamil Nadu    | NCD incentive - RS.500                                                                                                                                         |
|   23 | Telangana     | Rs. 6750/month                                                                                                                                                 |
|   24 | Tripura       | Top up @100 %on 8 specific work and 33.33% on NHMwork from State exchequer and @Rs.1000/ fixed for each ASHAand Afs.                                           |
|   25 | Uttar Pradesh | Rs. 1500 per month (State Budget Incentive linked with Incentive for Routine Activity)                                                                         |
|   26 | Uttarakhand   | Rs. 3000/ Month state incentive                                                                                                                                |
|   27 | West Bengal   | Monthly Fixed Honorarium of Rs. 4500 for all functional rural ASHAs                                                                                            |