As many as 65,000 ASHA workers in Maharashtra are likely to get a monthly pay hike of Rs 2,000 as an incentive for their hard work during the time of the COVID-19 crisis, a government official said. The Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA workers) have so far been earning about Rs 10,000 per month, he said. "State Health Minister Rajesh Tope has finalised a proposal for their salary hike which would be discussed in the Cabinet meeting. If the proposal is cleared, the ASHA workers would get a monthly hike of Rs 2,000," the official from the health and family welfare department told PTI on Wednesday.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the ASHA workers have been assigned the task of surveillance in urban and rural areas and the state government now plans to give them an incentive for their work. As of now, their salary structure includes a basic payment of Rs 2,000 each contributed by the state and the centre along with additional payment as per their efficiency and the number of people they cover (as part of various government welfare schemes), the official said.