To tell the truth in the beginning I never really had Great Hopes for the new Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao KCR for short.
But I'm impressed by his recent decision to quadruple the wages of the Accredited Social Health Activist
Next to the providing clean drinking water providing proper antenatal care will definitely reduce the infant mortality rate I hope the small new state of Telangana will soon overtake the other small world good state of Kerala and its health parameters.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao addressing ASHA workers at Pragati Bhavan in Hyderabad on Friday.
Hyderabad: The Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the State are on cloud nine with Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao announcing a four-fold increase in their salaries on Friday.
Addressing a large gathering of ASHA workers at Pragati Bhavan, he assured them that their remuneration would be raised to Rs 6,000 per month from the existing Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 and it would be enhanced further on a par with Anganwadi workers after making the required budgetary allocation in du
He directed the Health Department to consider the ASHA workers with the required academic qualifications for appointment as Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs). The department would fill 1,200 ANM vacancies immediately.
ASHAs rendering health services on the field for a salary of Rs 1,000 to Rs 15,000 per month, will get the enhanced salary from this month. The Chief Minister said the hike is part of what he had in consideration for them. By the next budget, ASHA workers salaries will be hiked yet again putting them on a par with Anganwadi workers.
Poor salaries
The ASHA workers should emerge as an effective force for protecting the health of people in the State. The ASHA workers informed the Chief Minister that they were taking part in all the activities linked to the health of the mother and child and they were also assigned other jobs. Despite doing jobs other than those they were officially assigned, they were paid meagre salaries.
The Chief Minister said “ASHA workers are reduced to bonded labourers. This is not correct. They don’t have job chart. They are asked to do each and every job. Though appointed to work for a couple of hours, they are made to work for more time. They are not paid extra allowances for the work they are doing which is outside their brief. Past rulers never bothered about them. Same is the case with Anganwadi workers. We hiked the salaries of Anganwadi workers and did justice to them. We will also increase the salaries of ASHA workers so that they will be able to live with respect and dignity in the society,” he said.
“KCR Kits are given for protection of mother and child. Rs 12,000 financial assistance is given to mothers before and after the delivery so that they need not go for work during the period. ASHA workers should become partners in these programmes. “
Ministers C Laxma Reddy, T Harish Rao, MP K Kavitha, Advisor to State government G Vivekanada, Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Rajeshwar Tiwari, Commissioner Vakati Karuna were among those present on the occasion.
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