ASHA workers stage protest in Srinagar

Srinagar, Feb 12: Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers on Thursday staged a protest in Srinagar under the banner of the ASHA Workers Union J&K, demanding implementation of the Minimum Wages Act and revision of what they described as “meager” honorarium being paid to them.

A large number of women ASHA workers assembled at the protest site, carrying placards and raising slogans, to highlight their long-pending demands. They said that despite being the backbone of the public health system at the grassroots level, they continue to be denied statutory wage protection and dignified remuneration.

“We are being paid peanuts. A couple of thousand rupees a month cannot sustain a family,” said one of the protesting ASHA workers. “Most of us depend entirely on this work for our livelihood. In today’s time of rising inflation, how can such low wages support our households?” she asked.

Another protester said ASHA workers have been working relentlessly in all circumstances, including during health emergencies, without adequate compensation. “We work in rain, snow, heat waves and even during pandemics. We have played a crucial role in implementing government health schemes at the grassroots, especially those aimed at women and children,” she said.

The protesters said ASHA workers have been instrumental in ensuring institutional deliveries, immunisation drives, maternal and child healthcare, and awareness campaigns in far-flung and rural areas. “Our work has directly benefited women at the village level, yet we remain unrecognised and underpaid,” another worker said.

The union demanded that ASHA workers be brought under the ambit of the Minimum Wages Act so that they receive wages in line with government norms, along with job security and social protection. They urged the government to acknowledge their contribution to strengthening public healthcare delivery and to address their demands without further delay.