WORKERS’ TRAIL: Release dues, hike wages: ASHA workers

By Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers in the state said that their main problem is low salaries and delay in payments.

They added that their salaries were not fixed and based on incentives instead. Currently, they are paid Rs 4,000 per month and not recognised as government employees. They should be paid at least Rs 15,000 fixed monthly salary, they said.

ASHA workers came into being in 2005 and are a part of the National Rural Health Mission to bridge the gap between the community and the state health apparatus. They come under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) state president S. Varalakshmi said that there were 174 unions under them and that ASHA Karyakarte Sangha was one of them. “Our main demand is that ASHA workers be recognised as employees and that they should get a fixed monthly salary. Right now, everything is incentive-based, which proves to be insufficient, plus they are paid in installments and not in one go,” she said.

Kalavati, who is deployed as an ASHA worker in Ganjagunte village in Shidlagatta town in Chikkaballapura district agreed that regularisation and a hike in wages was the way forward. “They contact us for all kinds of work. We were tasked with bringing down maternal and infant mortality. We do work pertaining to people’s health right from their birth to death, but they pay us so little. We have no issue in doing hard work, but we should be at least paid Rs 15,000,” she said.

“I haven’t received any pay for the past two to three months. We even protested in front of the DC (Deputy Commissioner) office in Chikkaballapura. They merely assured us. Even daily wage labourers have more financial stability,” she added.

Komala, an ASHA worker based in Tiptur town in Tumakuru district said that her wages were not enough to live on. “The main problem is no regular salary. They should fix our wages. I get monthly Rs 4,000 and even that hasn’t been paid for three months. When we ask authorities, they simply tell us that funds have not been released by the government,” she said. “Despite multiple protests, they haven’t responded to demands for an increase in wages. Their attitude is protest if you have to. We don’t care. They even made ASHA workers sign apology letters saying they won’t protest again,” Varalakshmi said.

Kalavati said: “They gave us mobile SIM cards, but no allowance for internet data packs. All of our work happens on apps. We don’t get bus passes for travelling either.”

Komala said that she had been disheartened by the government’s attitude. “We do all kinds of surveys from water tests, leprosy, tuberculosis, eye surgeries, blood pressure and sugar, you name it. A friend of mine died (of cancer) and had worked as an ASHA worker for 12 years, but got no financial aid from the government. We risked our lives working when Covid was at its peak, but still got no sympathy from the government,” she added.