Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) Insurance Scheme for Health Care Workers Fighting COVID-19 was launched to provide comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs.50 Lakh to 22.12 lakh health care providers and the same has been extended to ASHA as well as Anganwadi Workers, who may have been in direct contact and care of COVID-19 patients and may be at risk of being impacted by this subject to fulfillment of the certain conditions. States/UTs have been asked to ensure provision of safety tools like masks, gloves, soaps and sanitizers etc. for ASHAs as well as Anganwadi Workers.

Under the National Health Mission, ASHAs are envisaged to be community health volunteers and are entitled to task/activity based incentives. However, in view of the significant contribution towards the COVID-19 pandemic related work by ASHAs, States were advised to pay an additional incentive of Rs.1000/- per month for those ASHAs engaged in COVID-19 related work using the resources of COVID-19 Health System Preparedness and Emergency Response Package. Provisions are also made for continued full payment of the existing Routine and Recurring Incentive of Rs. 2000 per month to ASHAs to ensure delivery of essential health services during the pandemic along with additional COVID-19 incentives for ASHAs.

Under PM Poshan (earlier known as Mid- Day Meal Scheme), Cook-cum-helpers (CCHs) are engaged for preparing and serving hot cooked meals at schools. They are honorary workers who come forward for rendering social services. In recognition of their services, the CCHs are paid Rs.1000/- per month as honorarium for 10 months in a year. Honorarium is also provided to CCHs for preparing and serving hot cooked meals in elementary schools during summer vacation in drought affected areas notified by the concerned State Governments. The honorarium expenditure is shared between the Central Government and States/ UTs as per approved sharing pattern. Some State Governments and UT Administrations also supplement the honorarium by providing additional funds from their own resources.

The year-wise detail on allocation for ICDS during the last five years is as under:

S.No	FY	Funds allocation for ICDS (Rs. in crore)
1.	2016-17	14,000.00
2.	2017-18	15,245.19
3.	2018-19	16,334.88
4.	2019-20	19,834.37
5.	2020-21	20532.38

 

The budget allocation is sufficient to provide supplementary nutrition to all beneficiaries and also for providing insurance cover benefits to the scheme workers.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

 

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