Gundu Rao says no salary hike for Asha workers

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In a recent session, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stated that the government has no plans to increase the salary of Asha workers.

The issue was raised by Thippeswamy of the JDS during the question and answer session, who advocated for a salary hike, pension benefits, and provision of new smartphones for Asha workers.

In response, Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao clarified that there is currently no proposal to increase the salary of Asha workers, as they already receive an honorarium of Rs 5,000 from the state government and Rs 5,000-Rs 8,000 from the central government, resulting in an overall range of Rs 10,000-Rs13,000.

He emphasised that the honorarium cannot be increased at present. Regarding pension benefits, the Minister explained that Asha workers, not government employees, are not eligible for a pension under existing rules.

However, they are permitted to apply for the guarantee scheme, which indirectly provides them with certain benefits. While discussing the provision of new smartphones, Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao mentioned that he is considering the matter but did not provide any further details.

It is worth noting that during the 2023 assembly election campaign in Belgaum, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi had pledged to increase the wages of Anganwadi workers by Rs 15,000 and raise the salary of Asha workers by Rs 8,000.

However, these announcements have not been implemented thus far.

As the issue of Asha workers’ salaries and benefits continues to be a topic of concern, stakeholders are urging the government to re-evaluate the remuneration and welfare packages for these crucial healthcare workers.