The government has decided to pay honorarium to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) without any terms and conditions, Health Minister Veena George said in a statement here on Wednesday.
Payment of honorarium without linking it to terms and conditions was one of the main demands raised by the representatives of health workers’ association, which had held discussions with the Health Minister on February 6.
Committee set up
Based on the discussions, the Minister had directed that a committee be set up with officials of the Health department and the National Health Mission to revise the circular on ASHA. She had directed that this committee study and report on paying honorarium to ASHAs without linking it to conditions, within two weeks.
The said committee, which was set up the very next day, had made the recommendation that the honorarium be paid to ASHAs without setting conditions.
Heeding another request by ASHAs, the government has also issued a directive to e-health to stop the OTP system while using the Shylee app.
Honorarium of three months will be distributed to ASHAs from Wednesday. The government has also written to the Centre to revise the incentive pattern of ASHAs, the statement said.
