Lok Sabha Question No. 258 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-02
Subject: Social Security Coverage for ASHA Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Mohite Patil Dhairyasheel Rajsinh, Dr. Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Smt. Supriya Sule, Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, Shri Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 258 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026

## SOCIAL SECURITY COVERAGE FOR ASHA WORKERS

258.  SMT. SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI BHASKAR MURLIDHAR BHAGARE:

PROF. VARSHA EKNATH GAIKWAD:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL DHAIRYASHEEL RAJSINH:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)whether it is a fact that Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers in Maharashtra continue to be classified as community health volunteers under the National Health Mission and excluded from the definition of
- 'employee' under the Code on Wages, 2019;
- (b)if so, the reasons therefor;
- (c)the district-wise details of the number of ASHA workers in Maharashtra along with incentives paid, pending payments and delays reported during the last three years and the current year;
- (d)whether the Government has assessed the impact of increased workload during COVID19, immunisation drives, Ayushman Bharat and digital health missions on ASHA workers in Maharashtra;
- (e)the details of social security coverage provided to ASHA workers in the State  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Shram  Yogi  Maandhan  (PM-SYM),  Pradhan Mantri  Jeevan  Jyoti  Bima  Yojana  (PMJJBY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) including enrolment figures and claim settlements; and
- (f)whether the Government proposes any State-specific welfare package or enhanced  incentives  for  ASHA  workers  in  Maharashtra  and  if  so,  the details and timeline thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

- (a) to (f): The  definition  of  'employee'  under  the  Code  on  Wages,  2019 includes persons engaged in a wide range  of  work,   including   supervisory, managerial,     administrative,     technical,  clerical,  operational,    skilled,

semi-skilled and unskilled duties. Further, any person employed on wages in  an  establishment  whether  the  terms  of  employment  are  express  or implied is covered within this scope.

'Labour' is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India. Under the provisions of the Code, both Central and State Governments are empowered as appropriate Government in their respective spheres.

ASHAs  are  community  health  volunteers.  They  receive  fixed incentive for routine and recurring activities on monthly basis. In addition to  routine  and  recurring  activities,  they  are  provided  performance-based incentives  for  a  varied  set  of  activities  under  various  National  Health Programmes which are revised timely based on need and priority. States/ UTs are also providing additional State-specific incentives over and above those approved by the Government of India.  The details of these incentives are available on the following Uniform Resources Locator (URL):

https://nhm.gov.in/New-Update-2025-26/ASHAincentive/ASHA%20Incentives.pdf

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 technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen their public healthcare system, based on the requirements posed by States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans  (PIPs)  and  within  the  overall  resource allocation.

District-wise  details  of  the  number  of  ASHA  workers  are  not maintained at Central level.

Periodic  reviews,  field  assessments,  programme  monitoring mechanisms  such  as  Common  Review  Missions  and  interactions  with States/UTs, including Maharashtra, are undertaken to assess workload and implementation challenges faced by ASHAs workers under various national health programmes. Based on such assessments, steps have been taken from  time  to  time  to  rationalize  tasks,  introduce  performance-linked incentives, capacity building and support to reduce operational burden and improve efficiency.

In addition, ASHAs across the States/UTs have been enrolled in various  Social  Security  Schemes,  including  Pradhan  Mantri  Shram  Yogi Maan Dhan (PM-SYM), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana (PMSBY) as per the eligibility norms. ASHAs along with their family members are also provided with health care annual coverage of ₹ 5 Lakhs under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri

Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY).

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