ASHA benefit package approved by Cabinet

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave its approval to the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Benefit Package, which will come into effect from October this year.

The benefit package will cost the central government Rs.1224.97 crore for two years (2018-2020) and will be implemented through the existing institutional mechanisms of the National Mission for Health, according to an official release.

Comprised of two components, the package aims at enrolling eligible ASHAs and ASHA facilitators in social security schemes, namely the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, while increasing recurring incentives from Rs. 1000 per month to Rs.2000 per month for the ASHAs under the National Health Mission.

The annual premiums for the social schemes will be paid by the central government, while the ASHA's shall reap the benefits which are entailed by the schemes. Along with this, the increase in monthly incentives is in addition to other task-based incentives approved at the central and state level.

The package intends at enrolling 65 per cent of ASHA's and ASHA facilitators in the abovementioned social security schemes by March 31 next year, and 100 per cent of ASHA's and ASHA facilitators by October 30 next year.