Centre, Kerala govt clash over ASHA workers' funds

Thiruvananthapuram: The Centre and the Kerala government on Tuesday continued to dispute claims of each other over the provision of funds for disbursing incentives to ASHA workers in the state.

While state Finance Minister K N Balagopal accused the Centre of not providing funds on time, Union Minister George Kurian refuted the claim, stating that those who hear such allegations will start respecting Narendra Modi once they properly investigate the matter.

Talking to reporters in Kollam, Balagopal said that the Centre had yet to release Rs 100 crore in pending payments.

He urged the Centre to increase the honoraria for scheme workers, including Accredited Social Health Activist workers.

Balagopal said that Kerala had been raising this matter during the pre-budget meetings convened by the Union Finance Minister for the past two years.

"In Jaisalmer, I also reiterated our demand that the rate of honoraria for Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, and other scheme workers needs to be appropriately enhanced," the Kerala finance minister said.

Earlier, the office of State Health Minister Veena George stated that the claim that the Centre had allocated the full amount due to Kerala for centrally-sponsored health schemes in the last financial year was incorrect.

The Centre has thus not provided Rs 636.88 crore for the year 2023-24 under the pretext of co-branding, the Health Minister's office said in a statement.

It further stated that the health minister had formally written to the Union Health Minister, the Union Health Secretary, the National Health Mission, and the State Mission, pointing out that Rs 636.88 crore was yet to be provided by the Centre for NHM in the financial year 2023-24.

In its response on October 28, the Centre itself confirmed that the central share for Kerala in 2023-24 was yet to be disbursed, the statement claimed.

"Not a single rupee was allocated for NHM schemes, including ASHA and routine activities, in the financial year 2023-24. Out of the total Rs 826.02 crore that the Centre was supposed to provide, only Rs 189.15 crore was allocated for infrastructure maintenance and in-kind grants," it added.

"However, the remaining Rs 636.88 crore, which included funds for ASHA workers' incentives, was not disbursed," the statement said.

Union Minister of State for Minorities and Fisheries, George Kurian, mocked the state ministers' claim that not a single paise was given to Kerala and said that the Centre had provided a larger amount to the state government.

He said that this was officially confirmed when Union Minister Suresh Gopi met with Union Health Minister J P Nadda.

"When people hear such claims (from the state government), they start respecting him (Narendra Modi) after realising the truth through proper investigation," Kurian told reporters.

The statements from the Centre and state ministers came amid a protest by a section of ASHA workers in Kerala, demanding a hike in their honorarium and retirement benefits. They have stated that they will intensify their agitation.