Diwali bonus by Nov end for Mumbai ASHA workers, salary hike soon

The Diwali bonus that was disbursed to all the healthcare professionals in the state at the behest of chief minister Eknath Shinde was not extended to the ASHA workers

The Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) volunteers in Mumbai are expected to receive their respective Diwali bonus money by end of November, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said.

BMC will also put forth the ASHA workers’ long pending demands for salary revision to the state government. (File image)

BMC will also put forth the ASHA workers’ long pending demands for salary revision to the state government.

Deputy executive health officer of BMC Dr Daksha Shah met a delegation consisting of president of Maharashtra State ASHA, supervisory workers committee AM Patil, secretary of the organisation Asha Gangurde and Mumbai district president Swati Kamble on Monday.

She assured the workers that a circular to double the remuneration based on the work of the volunteer has been issued.

The Diwali bonus that was disbursed to all the healthcare professionals in the state at the behest of chief minister Eknath Shinde was not extended to the ASHA workers.

“We were told that the documentation for us to be able to avail the bonus is awaiting the signatures of the relevant authorities,” said Kamble.

The union workers also said there is some irregularity from the administration’s side on the payments of their usual salaries which Dr Shah assured she would resolve at the local level.

Another issue that was discussed pertained to their task-based renumeration for the surveys related to leprosy and tuberculosis, which was reduced to ₹75 per day for 25 home visits from ₹125 in 2020.

Dr Shah said the BMC had already made an appeal to the state government on behalf of the ASHA workers much before the meeting, and they will receive it in the next two weeks.

“Increasing their salaries is not in our hands; the central government fixes these honorariums. However, since they approached us with the issue, we have forwarded their concerns to the state government,” she added.

The workers, however, have requested that the state government or BMC contribute a part of their daily renumeration for the health surveys in order for them to take home.