Elected PRI members told to quit ASHA jobs
Hisar, December 12
With nearly 60 ASHA workers working with the Health Department on honorarium basis having been elected in the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) as sarpanch, members of the block samiti and panches, the state authorities said they would have to leave their current post.
THERE CAN’T BE 2 SETS OF RULES
There can’t be two sets of rules. So, it’s not feasible for an ASHA worker to double up as a PRI member. — Panchayats Department official
As per the government norms, the elected PRI members will have to quit their post of ASHA worker as they can’t double up as sarpanch/panches. Meanwhile, the ASHA Workers’ Association has urged the state government to give relaxation to the newly elected sarpanches/panches to continue as ASHA workers as well.
Parvesh, state vice-president of the association, said there were about 15 ASHA workers who got elected as sarpanches besides many other block samiti members and panches in Hisar, Rohtak, Jhajjar and other districts. “They are under pressure from the head office to relinquish the post of ASHA worker. Some of them have even got notices in this regard,” she added.
Parvesh further said they had also met the officials concerned, seeking relaxation in the policy so that they could continue to work as ASHA workers under the National Rural Health Mission. “We get a fixed salary of Rs 4,000 besides incentives. While serving as PRI members, an ASHA worker also needs to do the same work so there will be no functional problems,” she added.
A senior official of the Panchayats Department said, “There cannot be two sets of rules. So, it’s not feasible for an ASHA worker to double up as a PRI member.”
