Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khursheed Shah on Friday told the National Assembly that the salaries of Lady Health Workers would be raised to Rs 6,000 per month, as they are presently getting Rs 3150. While responding to a point of order of Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, the minister said the Prime Minister has already taken notice and the Lady Health Workers' salaries would be increased soon.
When Acting Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi inquired from the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mehreen Anwar Raja, she informed the House that increase in the salary would put an extra financial burden on the programme. "Presently they are getting Rs 3150 salary and the increase would jack the budget of the programme up to Rs 56 billion, therefore we can only make an affordable increase in the pay," she stated.
But, Khursheed Shah said, the Parliamentary Secretary may not be cognisant that the Prime Minister has already directed the concerned authorities to ensure minimum wage as Rs 6000 per month for LHWs, adding that their salaries would be increased without any further delay.