Maharashtra: Will wait for GR, say ASHAs after minister promises Rs 7,000 hike

ASHAs held a meeting at the National Health Mission office on Friday and proposed a hike of Rs 10,000

A day after state Health Minister Tanaji Sawant announced that the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in Maharashtra will receive an honorarium hike of R7,000 from the state government, ASHAs said that they will wait for an official confirmation. ASHAs have been receiving a combined honorarium of R5,000 from the state and central governments for years. If the state government delivers on the promise, its share would increase from Rs 1,500 to Rs 8,500.

The ASHAs have pointed out that the hike remains disproportionately low considering the scope of their responsibilities. They have been demanding a hike of Rs 10,000 from the state government. They are also advocating for benefits like pensions.

ASHAs are women trained to assist people in their communities to access various government and civic health services. While in Mumbai, the work of ASHAs is primarily carried out by 3,700 Community Health Workers (CHWs), there are still approximately 600 to 700 ASHAs under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation who conduct various door-to-door health surveys.

Dr Daksha Shah, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) executive health officer, said, "They function throughout multiple wards, and considering Mumbai's growing population, we have requested more ASHAs from the state government."

ASHAs in Mumbai

Meanwhile, the existing 80,000 ASHAs across Maharashtra are not satisfied with the situation. "Our payments are frequently delayed for months. How can the government expect us to work tirelessly for such low pay?" said Jayshree Borde, an ASHA in Khar Danda. She joined the workforce in January this year. Across the state and in Mumbai, ASHAs also ensure that women in their communities maintain proper nutrition during pregnancy and deliver in hospitals. Priyanka Shirshar, a Thane-based ASHA, said, "When I joined around 10 years ago, we used to receive only Rs 150. It then increased to Rs 500, and then to Rs 3,500 from the Centre and Rs 1,500 from the state government."

‘Want job security'

"We protested at Azad Maidan and Thane in mid-October. The government has still not released a GR. This is just an announcement so far. We want our jobs to be more secure, and the demand for pensions is pending," said Shirshar. Dheeraj Kumar, the Commissioner of Health Services with the National Health Mission (Maharashtra), said a proposal would be sent to the health department, and once approved, it would be forwarded to the cabinet for approval. "This is the highest hike for ASHAs after Andhra Pradesh, where the state provides them with Rs 10,000," he said.

Rs 1.5K
State's current share in ASHAs' pay