ASHA workers stage protest in Delhi, demand hike in remuneration

NEW DELHI: Hundreds of ASHA workers gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Monday and demanded a hike in their remuneration to match the minimum wages. They demanded that their remuneration be hiked to at least Rs 26,000 per month.

At a protest organised by ASHA Workers and Facilitators' of India, a federation affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), ASHA workers from around 18 states sat on a dharna demanding higher wages, and labour rights.

Addressing the dharna, CITU general secretary Tapan Sen accused the Union government of siding with the corporate and pushing for privatisation of healthcare. "Privatisation of healthcare has to be opposed.

This government is an alliance between communal forces and the corporate... We need to spread awareness about this," he said. AR Sindhu, general secretary of the All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers & Helpers (AIFAWH), said workers from 18 states have participated in the protest.

She also cited Haryana as an example where Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar recently announced to increase the monthly compensation of ASHA workers by Rs 2,100, increasing their per monthly stipend to Rs 6,100, following a series of protests by ASHA workers. ASHA workers are demanding that the National Health Mission should be made a permanent scheme with universal application, and adequate financial allocation.

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They also demanded regularisation of workers, minimum wages of Rs 26,000 per month, with all social security benefits, a pension of Rs 10,000 per month, payment of travelling expenses for duties, six months of paid maternity leave, casual leave of 20 days and medical leaves.

ASHA workers, who are designated as volunteers, are paid a monthly honorarium, and are also paid on an incentive basis for immunisation and related health services. Besides, they also demanded an increase in wages linked to consumer price index, revision of incentives for various duties of ASHA workers, immediate payment of all dues, and to ensure uniform working conditions throughout the country.

ASHA workers are also demanding a compensation to the heirs of all ASHA workers and facilitators who died during the Covid-19 duty, including Rs 50 lakh as life insurance.

They have also demanded the implementation of POSH Act, 'ASHA rest Rooms' in all primary community health centres and hospitals, and an allocation of six per cent of the GDP for the health sector in the budget. The Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) is a community health worker employed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as a part of India's National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), which began in 2005.