Health Minister K.R. Ramesh Kumar has assured that steps will be taken to improve the condition of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA).
Speaking to presspersons after inaugurating the upgraded taluk hospital at Kundagol and the newly set up Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Adaragunchi village near here on Sunday, Mr. Kumar said the ASHA workers were rendering yeomen services in the rural areas. The government was aware of the fact that they had been working without service security and other statutory benefits. Besides, their honorarium too remained meagre. The government was contemplating several steps including enhancing their honourarium, he said.
The government would also take steps to provide other facilities to ASHA workers, such interest-free loans through Self-Help Groups (SHG), reservation for their children in government residential schools and housing facilities through the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation, he said. However, the Minister did not disclose the percentage of increase the government planned to introduce in the honourarium of the ASHA workers.
He added that the government would provide six-month free training for AYUSH doctors in pharmacology.
Kundagol MLA C. S. Shivalli, zilla panchayat vice-president Shivanand Karigar and others were present.
