Nearly 45% (31,146) of the total 69.811 sanctioned posts in the State Health and Family Welfare Department are lying vacant. Of the vacant posts, 9,560 have been outsourced, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao informed the Legislative Council on Monday. Action is being initiated to fill the vacancies, he said.
Responding to members, the Minister said the department will consider providing new smartphones to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Making it clear that the services of ASHAs and outsourced AYUSH doctors cannot be regularised, the Minister said that ASHAs are working voluntarily and they are being paid ₹5,000 monthly honorarium. In addition, based on their performance, they get a minimum of ₹5,000 to a maximum of ₹8,000 per month. “Now, under ‘Gruhalakshmi’, they will also get ₹2,000 a month,” he said.
ASHA posts too
Of the 43,524 sanctioned posts of ASHAs under the National Health Mission (NHM), 41,119 people are working.
He said 113 specialists are working on contract/temporary basis in AYUSH hospitals. However, their services cannot be regularised as they have been appointed under National AYUSH Mission on a temporary basis. “Their appointment will be only till the mission lasts. We can give them preference during recruitment in the AYUSH Department,” the Minister said.
