Bihar govt announces hike in incentive for rural health workers ahead of Assembly polls

Patna: Ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday announced that ASHA workers in the state will now get Rs 3,000 per month as an incentive, a substantial increase from the existing amount of Rs 1,000.

He also doubled the incentive of Mamta health workers from Rs 300 per delivery.

In a post on X, Kumar said, "Since the formation of the government in November 2005, we have worked extensively to improve health services. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Mamta workers have played a significant role in enhancing health services in rural areas." ASHA workers will now be provided with "an incentive amount of Rs 3,000 instead of Rs 1,000", he said.

Mamta workers will now get an incentive amount of Rs 600 per delivery, up from the existing Rs 300, the CM added.

"This enhanced incentive amount will boost their morale and strengthen health services in rural areas," he said.

The decision to increase their incentives was taken in view of the contributions of ASHA and Mamta workers to strengthen health services in rural areas, the CM wrote on social media.

ASHA workers are at the base of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) pyramid.

In order to provide effective health care to the rural population, the NRHM proposed the introduction of female health workers at the village level for every 1000 population, an official said.

Mamta workers are contractual health activists in maternity wards of government hospitals to take care of newborns and their mothers, he said.

“ASHA workers are intended to facilitate access to health services, mobilise communities to realise health rights and access entitlements and provide basic community-level care," the official added.