ASHA workers slam PM Modi over WHO award praise

They are among six recipients of Global Health Leaders Award and hailed for their efforts; workers say 'appreciate later, first pay dues pending by Centre'

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru: Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers of Karnataka slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising them for winning an award while their dues remained unpaid by the Centre.

Modi had tweeted his appreciation for the healthcare employees for bagging the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ Global Health Leader’s Award on Monday. “Delighted that the entire team of ASHA workers have been conferred the @WHO Director-General’s Global Health Leaders’ Award. Congratulations to all ASHA workers. They are at the forefront of ensuring a healthy India. Their dedication and determination is admirable,” he had tweeted. The award was about the healthcare workers’ contribution during the pandemic.

ASHA workers, however, claimed that their incentives, collectively running into crores of rupees had not been paid by the Union Government. The workers are paid by both the State and Centre. The latter pays them incentives through the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal for work done, which is submitted in a programme called ASHA Soft. Many a time tasks done aren’t fed in the programme, which results in non-payment.

ASHA workers, who are exclusively women, 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 and are paid Rs 4,000 a month in salaries by the State.

Kalavati, who is deployed as an ASHA worker in Ganjagunte village of Shidlagatta town in Chikkaballapura district said that WHO and Modi should know that awards meant little when their salaries are insufficient. “Should we swallow the award when our stomachs are empty?” she sneered. “The fact that we have received the award is great, but it won’t suffice since our salaries are a measly Rs 4,000,” she added. “RCH is the main problem. We don’t know what is happening with that portal and if and when we are being paid through it,” Kalavati said.

Karnataka Rajya Sanyukta ASHA Karyakartara Sangha (KRSAKS) General Secretary D Nagalakshmi said that they were proud of the WHO award but Modi should release their dues first. “If you really respected us, you wouldn’t have cheated us out of our hard-earned money,” she said. “Real respect comes with justice and it will be done when our dues are paid,” she added.

'No one came to help when they died of Covid'

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) state president S Varalakshmi called upon the Centre to release incentive-based dues. AR Sindhu, General Secretary, CITU flayed the Modi government for alleged apathy. “Scores of ASHA workers sacrificed their lives succumbing to Covid -19 and the Government of India do not even have the statistics on them. Their families are yet to receive the much propagated Rs50 lakh death compensation and are still running from pillar to post to get any help.  It is ironic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed ASHA workers for the award.” she said. 

“He must apologise to ASHA workers for the cruel exploitation by his government,” she added.