New Delhi, March 11
MPs from Kerala on Tuesday held a protest in Parliament in support of ASHA workers, demanding their honorarium to be raised to Rs 21,000 and stating that they should receive Rs 5 lakh as retirement benefits.
Speaking to ANI, Congress MP KC Venugopal said, "Asha workers are working 24/7 in the health sector. They are the major contributors to the health sectors in Kerala. They are getting Rs 233 per day, that too they are not it getting regularly. They are not getting retirement benefits. For the last 30 days, they have been agitating in front of the Kerala Secretariat, the issue we raised in the Parliament. That's why we are holding this protest."
Revolutionary Socialist Party MP N. K. Premachandran said, " ASHA workers in Kerala have been on indefinite strike for the last 32 days. Their genuine, legitimate demand is to get better honorarium and living conditions, retirement benefits and they also want their performance incentives to be increased. Unfortunately, neither the central government nor the state government is ready to have a discussion with them...we demand the Government of India and the State government need to intervene in this matter..."
The Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers were also protesting in Kerala against the Left Democratic Alliance (LDF) government, demanding a monthly honorarium of Rs 21,000 per and a retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh.
On International Women's Day, they organized a massive demonstration in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, joined by women from across Kerala and various women's organizations, further intensifying the agitation.
In an attempt to pacify the workers, the Kerala Health Department has decided to release two months' pending dues and relax certain eligibility criteria for honorarium payments.
However, ASHA workers have refused to back down, insisting on a substantial salary hike.
The National Health Mission (NHM) has directed ASHA workers on strike to resume work immediately, but with their core demands still unmet, the workers continue to protest.
Earlier, on March 4, Kerala Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader VD Satheesan accused the LDF government of failing to fulfill its Rs 21,000 honorarium promise.
He criticized the government's "negative attitude" and alleged attempts to suppress protesting women. Expressing Congress's support, he highlighted the heavy workload of ASHA workers and their meagre Rs 7,000 state honorarium.
- ANI