Bihar govt announces hike in incentive for rural health workers ahead of assembly polls
Patna (PTI): Ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday announced that ASHA workers in the state will now get Rs 3,000 per month as an incentive, a substantial increase from the existing amount of Rs 1,000.
He also doubled the incentive of Mamta health workers from Rs 300 per delivery.
In a post on X, Kumar said, "Since the formation of the government in November 2005, we have worked extensively to improve health services. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Mamta workers have played a significant role in enhancing health services in rural areas."
ASHA workers will now be provided with "an incentive amount of Rs 3,000 instead of Rs 1,000", he said.
Mamta workers will now get an incentive amount of Rs 600 per delivery, up from the existing Rs 300, the CM added.
"This enhanced incentive amount will boost their morale and strengthen health services in rural areas," he said. The decision to increase their incentives was taken in view of the contributions of ASHA and Mamta workers to strengthen health services in rural areas, the CM wrote on social media.
ASHA workers are at the base of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) pyramid.
In order to provide effective health care to the rural population, the NRHM proposed the introduction of female health workers at the village level for every 1000 population, an official said.
Mamta workers are contractual health activists in maternity wards of government hospitals to take care of newborns and their mothers, he said.
“ASHA workers are intended to facilitate access to health services, mobilise communities to realise health rights and access entitlements and provide basic community-level care," the official added.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
