asha anganwadi salary increase: Anganwadi and Asha workers are important pillars of our society. These workers play a vital role in providing health and nutrition services in villages and cities. Recently, news of increase in the salaries of these workers has come to light. Many states have announced increase in the honorarium of these workers, which has raised hopes of improvement in their standard of living.
In this article we will give detailed information about the proposed increase in the salary of Anganwadi and Asha workers. We will also see what steps have been taken by various states in this regard and what are the plans of the Central Government. Also, we will discuss the impact of this salary increase and the issues related to it.
Brief description of Anganwadi and Asha worker scheme
Description | Information |
name of the scheme | Anganwadi and ASHA worker welfare scheme |
beneficiary | Anganwadi workers, helpers and ASHA workers |
Current Honorarium (Centre + State) | Anganwadi worker: ₹4,500 + ₹3,600 |
Anganwadi Assistant: ₹2,500 + ₹1,800 | |
ASHA worker: ₹2,000 – ₹4,000 (varies by state) | |
proposed honorarium | ₹26,000 (demand in some states) |
Benefit | Health insurance, incentives, training |
work area | rural and urban areas |
Role and importance of Anganwadi and Asha workers
Anganwadi and ASHA workers are the mainstay of health and nutrition services at the community level. These workers perform the following important functions:
- Care of pregnant women and newborns
- Immunization of children and monitoring of nutritional status
- Health education and awareness spreading
- Assistance in implementation of government schemes
It is due to the hard work of these workers that maternal and child mortality rates have decreased in rural areas. He also worked as a frontline warrior during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Demand and reasons for salary increase
The demand for increase in salaries of Anganwadi and Asha workers has been going on for a long time. Many reasons account for this:
- Inflation: Due to rising inflation the current salary has become inadequate.
- Workload: The workload on these workers is continuously increasing.
- Qualification: Most workers are educated and deserve better wages.
- Social Security: At present they do not get adequate social security benefits.
Steps taken by states
Many states have increased the salaries of Anganwadi and Asha workers:
- West Bengal: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced an increase in the honorarium of ASHA and Anganwadi workers by ₹750 per month. This will come into effect from April 2024.
- Haryana: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced an increase of ₹2,100 in the monthly honorarium of Asha workers.
- Karnataka: Demand for minimum wage of ₹26,000 for Anganwadi workers in the state.
Central government initiative
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made several important announcements for Asha and Anganwadi workers in 2018:
- Double increase in regular incentives given to Asha workers
- Free insurance cover under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
- Increase in honorarium of Anganwadi workers from ₹ 1,500 to ₹ 2,250
Expansion of Ayushman Bharat Scheme
An important announcement has been made in the interim budget for 2024-25. According to this:
- All Anganwadi and Asha workers will be covered under Ayushman Bharat Scheme
- About 10 lakh Asha workers, 13,29,000 Anganwadi workers and 11,79,000 assistants will benefit.
- Health insurance cover up to ₹ 5 lakh per family will be available annually
Possible effects of salary increase
Increasing the salaries of Anganwadi and Asha workers can have several positive effects:
- Better standard of living: The standard of living of the workers will improve and they will be able to take better care of their families.
- Work Motivation: Higher salary will increase the morale of the workers and they will work with more enthusiasm.
- Quality services: With better training and resources, workers will be able to provide quality services to the community.
- Economic Empowerment: There will be economic empowerment of women workers, which will be beneficial for the society.
- Improvement in rural health: Better motivated workers will improve rural health services.
future prospects
There are many possibilities in the future for Anganwadi and Asha workers:
- Digital Health: Providing better health services through smartphones and tablets.
- Career Progression: Opening up avenues of career progression by providing opportunities for higher education and training.
- Community Leadership: To develop these workers as community leaders.
- Research participation: Increasing participation of these workers in health research.
conclusion
The increase in salaries of Anganwadi and Asha workers is a welcome step. This will not only improve the lives of these workers but will also enhance the quality of overall rural health services. However, a lot still remains to be done in this direction. This goal can be achieved only with the joint efforts of the government, community and the workers themselves.
Disclaimer
The information given in this article is for general information purposes. Although a salary of ₹26,000 has been demanded in some states, it has not yet been officially implemented by any government. Actual pay and benefits may vary according to state and local policies. Please contact your local Anganwadi or health department for accurate and updated information.