Kerala minister calls protest by ASHAs ‘political in nature’
The protesters have demanded a hike up to ₹21,000 with respect to adherence to daily wage rates. The agitating ASHAs also want a retirement lump sum of ₹5 lakh for those exiting the profession
Kerala minister for local self-governments MB Rajesh on Friday termed the ongoing protests of the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the state “political in nature” and said the talks with the government failed because of “stubbornness” on the part of the protesters.
Rajesh’s statement came on the second day of the indefinite hunger strike launched by a section of ASHAs in Thiruvananthapuram demanding hike in honorarium and a lump sum retirement package.
Currently, ASHA workers in Kerala get a monthly honorarium of ₹7,000. The protesters have demanded a hike up to ₹21,000 with respect to adherence to daily wage rates. The agitating ASHAs also want a retirement lump sum of ₹5 lakh for those exiting the profession. Currently, there is no such retirement benefit for the health volunteers.
Rajesh, replying to a submission made by Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan in the assembly, said the talks between the protesters and the state government officials earlier this week failed to reach a consensus due to the “stubbornness and compulsive demands” of the protesters.
“It’s not because the state government has adopted an obstinate stand. We have always taken favourable positions towards ASHAs. In 2015-16, when the LDF government came to power, the honorarium for ASHAs was ₹1,000. By 2023 December, it was gradually hiked up till ₹7,000,” he said.
In contrast, said Rajesh, the Centre gives only ₹1,800 as its share under the “fixed incentive” variable of the NHM scheme, for which dues have been piling up in recent years.
“In total, out of ₹10,000, the state gives the ASHAs ₹8200 and the Union government only ₹1,800. Still the agitation is against the state government instead of the Union government. The Union government has not hiked its incentives for ASHAs for many years. But they don’t want to protest against the Union government. So, this is a protest that helps the Union government. That’s why none of the major trade unions like INTUC, CITU and AITUC are not with them,” added Rajesh.
Of the over 26,000 ASHAs in the state, only around 354 of them are protesting, he said. “That’s 1.3%. It is political in nature. If they withdraw their political stand, this agitation will end.”
The minister also said that the Kerala government supported the stand of major trade unions that ASHAs must be recognised as labourers, not just health volunteers. Being recognised as labourers will help them get access to all benefits including fixed wages, pensions and gratuity, he said.
While presenting the submission, LoP Satheesan said the UDF stands with the protesting ASHAs by recognising that their demands are “fair”.
“The minister’s stand that the protest and their demands are not fair is not correct...We may not be able to fulfill all their demands in one go, but we should able to do as much as we can to help them end this agitation,” he said.
