The government has decided to strengthen ASHA workers to provide elementary health care services to the people in the remote villages across the country. Replying to supplementaries during the question hour in the Rajya Sabha today, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said, to enhance competency and professional credibility of the ASHA workers through knowledge and skill assessment, a proposal for certification of competencies of ASHAs by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), has been approved. Regarding the availability of generic medicine, the Minister said the procurement process is being further streamlined to make its availability at affordable prices.