Thiruvananthapuram: Despite repeated claims by Health Minister Veena George that Kerala pays the highest honorarium to ASHA workers in the country, official documents now emerging in the public domain suggest otherwise.

While Kerala offers Rs 7,000 as a monthly honorarium, Sikkim raised its ASHA honorarium from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 two and a half years ago. The Sikkim ASHA Welfare Association shared a notification issued by the Sikkim Health Secretary enforcing this hike from October 1, 2022, on its Facebook page.

Speaking to Manorama over the phone, Omkumari Pradhan, President of the Sikkim ASHA Welfare Association, confirmed that all 676 ASHA workers in the state have been receiving Rs 10,000 as honorarium since 2022.

In the Kerala Assembly, Health Minister Veena George asserted that Kerala provides the highest honorarium but did not present actual comparative figures. Even during discussions on an adjournment motion the following day, she cited estimates from various states--except Sikkim.

The minister addressed the matter only when Rahul Mamkoottathil MLA questioned whether Sikkim was not part of India and why its honorarium figures were omitted. However, instead of citing Sikkim’s actual Rs10,000 figure, she claimed that the state provides only Rs 6,000 and justified this by stating that the data was collected through direct communication with the officials concerned.

In Andhra Pradesh, ASHA workers receive additional payments beyond their honorarium and incentives, ensuring a total monthly income of Rs 10,000. The state also stands out as the first in India to introduce a retirement benefit of Rs 1.5 lakh for ASHA workers.