Primary responsibility regarding ASHA workers lies with state government;  will not give separate fund to states, says Centre

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Health, Prataprao Jadhav. said that the primary responsibility regarding ASHA workers lies with the state government. He said that the central government has allocated Rs 1,350 crore to Kerala as part of the National Health Mission for the year 2024-25. He also stated that the central government does not provide a separate fund to states for the honorarium of ASHA workers.

The minister made this clarification in response to a question from MP N.K. Premachandran in the Lok Sabha. The question was regarding the pending amount that the central government should provide to Kerala for disbursing ASHA workers’ honorarium. In his reply, the minister stated that Rs 1,350.07 crore had been allocated to Kerala under the National Health Mission. He further added that the central government provides funds for strengthening the healthcare sector as part of the mission.