The Asian Age

PM offers pay hike to anganwadi, health staff

- AGE CORRESPOND­ENT

In a major social sector initiative months before the Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday rained sops for accredited social health activists ( Asha) and anganwadi workers, by announcing a hike in their monthly honorarium from October onwards.

In addition, all Asha workers will be brought under the coverage of various social security schemes and given free insurance cover under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Prime Minister Suraksha Bima Yojana.

The activists won’t have to pay any premium for the insurance cover and will get ` 4 lakhs in case of any untoward incident, the PM said in a video interactio­n with Asha, ANM ( auxiliary nurse midwife) and anganwadi workers across the country.

He said the revised incentive will come into effect from October and reflect in their salaries from November onwards, that would be a Diwali gift for them.

In a major social sector initiative months before the Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday rained sops for accredited social health activists ( Asha) and anganwadi workers, by announcing a hike in their monthly honorarium from October onwards.

In addition, all Asha workers will be brought under the coverage of various social security schemes and given free insurance cover under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Prime Minister Suraksha Bima Yojana.

The activists won’t have to pay any premium for the insurance cover and will get ` 4 lakhs in case of any untoward incident, the PM said in a video interactio­n with Asha, ANM ( auxiliary nurse midwife) and anganwadi workers across the country.

He said the revised incentive will come into effect from October and reflect in their salaries from November onwards, that would be a Diwali gift for them.

Those who drew an honorarium of ` 3,000 will from now on get ` 4,500 and those who used to get ` 2,200 will get ` 3,500, he said.

The honorarium of anganwadi helpers will be hiked from ` 1,500 to ` 2,500, the Prime Minister informed.

These are routine incentive given by the Centre to Asha and anganwadi workers. The state government­s also give them separate incentive.

There are around 14 lakh anganwadis or child care centres in rural areas across the country and 10 crore beneficiar­ies, who include children under the age of six and pregnant women and lactating mothers. The total number of anganwadi workers are 12,83,707 and helpers 10,50,564.

The total number of ASHA workers across the country are 10,23,136.

Anganwadis were set up under the Integrated Child Developmen­t Services ( ICDS) programme.

 ?? — PTI ?? Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar flags off “Bharat Nepal Maitri Bus Seva” between Patna and Nepal and Bodhgaya and Kathmandu, at CM secretaria­t in Patna on Tuesday.
— PTI Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar flags off “Bharat Nepal Maitri Bus Seva” between Patna and Nepal and Bodhgaya and Kathmandu, at CM secretaria­t in Patna on Tuesday.
 ??  ?? Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi

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