The government has also approved six months of paid maternity leave for the first two deliveries.
Published Aug 13, 2025 | 6:16 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 13, 2025 | 6:16 PM
File photo of Asha workers. (South First)
Andhra Pradesh has become the first state in India to approve gratuity payments for Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), alongside other welfare measures including six months of paid maternity leave and an increase in retirement age from 60 to 62 years.
In line with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s announcement in March this year, the State government on Tuesday issued orders sanctioning these benefits, accepting several long-pending demands of ASHA workers.
According to the Department of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, each ASHA worker will be paid ₹5,000 per year of service, with a maximum gratuity of ₹1.5 lakh at the time of retirement. With around 43,000 ASHAs serving at the village level under various healthcare schemes, the gratuity payments will cost the government an estimated ₹645 crore.
The government has also approved six months of paid maternity leave for the first two deliveries. Special Chief Secretary M.T. Krishna Babu issued the official orders on Tuesday.
Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav thanked the Chief Minister for sanctioning the measures despite financial constraints, noting that the decision underscores the State’s commitment to improving the welfare of frontline health workers.
