JOIN USASHA workers in Himachal Pradesh get smartphones to perform duties efficiently
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has distributed free smartphones to accredited social health activist (ASHA) workers in the state to help them perform their duties efficiently, an official statement said.
The phones were distributed to some of the total 7,842 ASHA workers as part of a scheme launched by the chief minister, an ASHA union representative said, adding that the remaining workers would be provided with the phones soon.
Addressing the workers through video conference, Thakur said with the help of the smartphones, ASHA workers would be able to use applications like 'Himarogya', 'TB Mukt Himachal' app and perform their jobs efficiently, the statement said.
He said the mobile phones would also help them in effective dissemination of information, education and communication through single push button including videos and posters and bulk SMS, it said.
The chief minister said the state government had given an incentive of Rs 1000 per month for four months from March to June to ASHA workers and is providing another incentive of Rs 2000 per month for July and August, it said.
Thakur said Himachal Pradesh has been fighting Covid-19 effectively and ASHA workers of the state have played a pivotal role in controlling the spread of the virus.
He said ASHA workers not only helped in detecting the people with influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms but also motivated them to strictly follow quarantine norms.
Later, presiding over a meeting with deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and chief medical officers of the state through video conferencing from Shimla, Thakur directed them to keep a strict vigil on the arrival of migrant labourers, particularly in industrial units.
Thakur said the state government had decided that industrialists or their contractors would be allowed to bring labourers after due approval of the administration and they would be quarantined as per the guidelines issued by the health department.
The chief minister said that big industrial units would have to create adequate quarantine capacities.
He also directed the industries and labour and employment departments to keep a strict vigil on industrial units to follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) issued from time to time in this regard.
Thakur said that keeping in view the festive season, the state government has decided not to open temples and other religious places in the state for the time being to avoid overcrowding.
He also directed the officers to strictly enforce the decision of allowing the participation of not more than 50 people in marriages and other family functions.
Thakur said about 1,557 residents of Himachal Pradesh have returned to the state from 78 cities of 61 foreign countries after being medically examined.
He said that out of these 1,117 people had arrived at New Delhi airport, 192 at Amritsar airport and 248 at Chandigarh international airport.
The chief minister also directed the DCs to be more vigilant keeping in view the rainy season as it may increase the cases of viral and related ailments causing an extra burden on health institutions.