Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare addresses the welfare of ASHA workers under the National Health Mission (NHM), which aims to provide equitable and affordable healthcare. ASHAs receive task/activity-based incentives, including a recently revised fixed monthly incentive of ₹3500. The government provides additional benefits like team-based incentives, non-monetary support, recognition amounts, and social security schemes.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **National Health Mission (NHM):**
* NHM aims to provide universal access to equitable, affordable, and quality healthcare.
* It includes the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM).
* Focuses on Health System Strengthening, RMNCHA, and Communicable/Non-Communicable Diseases.
* **ASHA Worker Incentives and Compensation:**
* ASHAs are community health volunteers entitled to task/activity-based incentives.
* Fixed monthly incentive revised to ₹3500 per month from ₹2000 (effective March 4, 2025).
* Performance-based incentives are provided for various National Health Programmes.
* Team Based Incentives (TBIs) are available post-Ayushman Arogya Mandir launch (up to ₹1000/month).
* **Non-Monetary Incentives:**
* ASHAs receive non-monetary incentives such as uniforms, ID cards, bicycles, mobile phones, and drug kits.
* **Recognition and Benefit Package:**
* A recognition amount of ₹50,000 is given to ASHAs who leave the program after 10 years of service (revised March 4, 2025).
* ASHA Benefit Package (introduced in 2018) includes:
* Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana (PMJJBY): ₹2.00 Lakh in case of death.
* Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana (PMSBY): ₹2.00 Lakh for accidental death/permanent disability; ₹1.00 Lakh for partial disability.
* Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan Dhan (PMSYM): Pension benefit of ₹3,000 pm after age 60.
* **Social Security and Health Coverage:**
* ASHAs are enrolled in PMJJBY, PMSBY, and PMSYM.
* ASHAs and their families receive health care coverage of ₹5 Lakhs under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY).
Impact Analysis:
* **State/UT Governments:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for strengthening public healthcare systems, including support for ASHA workers.
* *Action Required:* Submit Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to request technical and financial support.
* **ASHA Workers:**
* *Impact:* Receive increased fixed monthly incentives, performance-based incentives, non-monetary support, recognition amounts, and social security benefits.
* *Action Required:* Continue performing duties as community health volunteers and enroll in available social security schemes.
* **Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:**
* *Impact:* Provides technical and financial support to States/UTs for strengthening their public healthcare system.
* *Action Required:* Review and approve PIPs submitted by States/UTs and allocate resources accordingly.
Key Entities Referenced
ASHA: Accredited Social Health Activist, a community health volunteer in India.
National Health Mission NHM: A program by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, aimed at providing universal access to equitable, affordable and quality healthcare services.
National Rural Health Mission NRHM: A sub-mission of the National Health Mission (NHM) focusing on improving healthcare in rural areas.
National Urban HealthMission NUHM: A sub-mission of the National Health Mission (NHM) focusing on improving healthcare in urban areas.
Ayushman Arogya Mandir: A health and wellness center initiative in India to provide comprehensive primary healthcare services.
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana PMJJBY: A government-backed life insurance scheme in India.
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana PMSBY: A government-backed accident insurance scheme in India.
Ayushman Bharat PradhanMantri Jan Arogya Yojana ABPMJAY: A national health insurance scheme in India, providing health coverage to eligible families.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2280
TO BE ANSWERED ON01.08.2025
WELFARE OFASHAWORKERS
†2280. SHRIDINESH CHANDRAYADAV:
SHRIGIRIDHARI YADAV:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) the name of the programme run by the Government for welfare of ASHA workers in the
countrysince 2005;
(b) whether the Government proposes togive more incentives toASHAworkers at present, if so,
the detailsthereof;
(c)whether the Government proposes toterm thisincentiveassalaried class employees,if so, the
detailsthereof; and
(d) the amountof incentives giventoASHAworkers at present?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND
FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (d): The National Health Mission (NHM) envisages achievement of universal access to
equitable, affordable & quality health care services that are accountable and responsive to
people’s needs. NHM encompasses its two Sub-Missions, the National Rural Health Mission
(NRHM) and the National Urban HealthMission (NUHM). The mainprogrammatic components
include HealthSystem Strengtheninginrural andurbanareas, Reproductive-Maternal- Neonatal-
Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A), and Communicable and Non-Communicable
Diseases.
The primary responsibility of strengthening public healthcare system, including support
for ASHAworkers lies with the respective State/UT Governments. Under NHM, the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare provides the technical and financial support to the States/UTs to
strengthen their public healthcare system, based on the requirements posted by States/UTs in
theirProgrammeImplementation Plans(PIPs)andwithin the overall resource envelope.
ASHAs are envisaged to be community health volunteers and are entitled to task/activity
based incentives. ASHAs receive a fixed monthly incentive of ₹ 3500/- per month for routineand recurring activities, which has recently been revised from ₹ 2000/- per month, in the 9th
meetingof Mission Steering Group(MSG) held on4thMarch, 2025.
ASHAs are provided performance-based incentives for a varied set of activities under
various National Health Programmes, some of which are recently revised in the 9th meeting of
Mission Steering Group (MSG). The details of these ASHA incentives are available on the
following Uniform Resources Locator(URL):
https://nhm.gov.in/New-update-2024-25/ASHA/ASHA-Incentives-July-2025.pdf
After the launch of Ayushman Arogya Mandir, ASHAs are eligible additionally for Team
Based Incentives (TBIs) along with ANMs based on monitored performance indicators (up to
₹1000 per month). ASHAs are also entitled to non-monetary incentives like – ASHA Uniform,
IdentityCard, Cycle,Mobile, CUGSim, ASHADiary,Drug Kit, ASHArest room etc.
The Government has also approved a recognition amount of ₹50,000/- recently revised
from ₹20,000/- inthe 9th meeting of Mission Steering Group (MSG) held on4th March, 2025 and
a citation to ASHAs who leave the programme after working as ASHAs for minimum of 10
years, asanacknowledgementof their contribution.
In the year 2018, the ASHA Benefit Package was introduced acknowledging significant
contributionandcommitment of ASHAs. The packageprovidescoverage for:
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana (PMJJBY) with a benefit ₹2.00Lakh incase
of deathof the insured (annualpremium contributedby GOI).
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana (PMSBY) with a benefit of Rs.2.00 lakh for
accidental death or permanent disability; ₹1.00 lakh for partial disability (annual premium
contributedbyGOI).
In addition, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan Dhan (PM-SYM) with pension benefit of
₹3,000/- pm after age of 60 years (50% contribution of premium by GOI and 50% by
beneficiaries) is also available for ASHA workers. ASHAs across the States/UTs have been
enrolledinallthe above-mentionedSocialSecuritySchemes asperthe definedeligibilitynorms.
Also, ASHAs along with their family members are provided with health care annual
coverage of ₹5LakhsunderAyushman Bharat PradhanMantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
***