Uttar Pradesh raises its share of pay to ASHA workers, assistants by 100%

LUCKNOW: Calling ASHA workers and their assistants (ASHA sanginis) the backbone of public health programmes, CM Yogi Adityanath on Friday announced to double the state’s share in their honorarium. There are 1.6 lakh ASHA workers and 7,000 ASHA sanginis in the state.
Addressing a programme to felicitate ASHA workers for their exemplary work in Covid-19 management and to distribute smartphones to 80,000 of them, the CM said: “ASHA workers shoulder the responsibility of public health and contribute immensely for the creation of a healthy society which forms the base of a productive state.”
Under the present system, ASHA workers get Rs 2,750 as basic honorarium of which Rs 2,000 comes from the Centre while the remaining Rs 750 is contributed by the state.
Besides the fixed allowance, ASHA workers and sanginis get incentives for various tasks, activities and health campaigns. Depending on their performance, they may earn up to Rs 5,300. Doubling the state’s share from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 would increase their total earnings to over Rs 6,000 per month.
The CM also announced an additional performance bonus of Rs 500 to ASHA workers for exemplary work in Covid-19 management between April 2020 and March 31, 2022.
The state government also announced an additional incentive of Rs 10,000 each to contractual ANM workers who were engaged in Covid-19 vaccination for a minimum of 60 days.
At least 15,000 ANMs are enrolled in UP and contractual ANMs get a consolidated amount of Rs 10,000 per month.
The decision brought smiles to the faces of health workers who have been demanding revision of incentives.
“The network of medical colleges, testing labs, oxygen facilities, health sub-centres and referral units will eventually serve public interest which has been the priority of the BJP government since the beginning,” he said.
Health minister Jai Pratap Singh said smartphones were being provided to ASHA workers which will simplify their work and help in better coordination between them and the department.