SHILLONG, March 07: The Minister incharge of the Health Department in Meghalaya, James P.K Sangma has denied that the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers get paid only ₹66 per day, while informing that the Department has already released ₹59 crores for the year 2021-2022 to pay the 7000 ASHA workers in the State.
The Minister informed this while responding to a call attention presented by Nongpoh MLA, Mayralborne Syiem in the Assembly today. James Sangma said that the payment to 7000 ASHA workers is about ₹7000 per month at a rate of ₹233 per day.
He said that the funds released by the Government for the payment to ASHA workers in the last 4 years is close to ₹151 crores including for the Meghalaya ASHA Benefit Scheme (MABS) and Meghalaya Maternity Benefit Scheme (MMBS). He further stated that about 50% of the funds which is close to ₹79 crores is generated by the State.
With regards to the payment to the ASHA workers, the Minister further said that through the National Health Mission there are 6 categories with different payment scales. He also informed that from April 2021, the Meghalaya Government has paid ₹2000 per month as Fixed Incentive, and for Covid-19 duty, ₹1000 per month is paid. He said that the ASHA workers at any cost make not less than ₹4000 per month without taking into account the amount paid by NHM.
