UDF backs ASHAs’ stir for better wages in Kerala

The hunger strike by three ASHAs began a day after the talks with the officials of National Health Mission (NHM) and health minister Veena George failed to produce a desirable result

The Congress-led UDF on Thursday extended solidarity with the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), who went on an indefinite hunger strike against the state government demanding better pay and retirement benefits.

Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan, centre, and other UDF MLAs take part in a protest march in support of ASHA workers protesting against the Kerala government since February 10, demanding post-retirement benefits and a hike in their honorarium, in Thiruvananthapuram, on Thursday. (PTI)

The hunger strike by three ASHAs began at 11 am in Thiruvananthapuram a day after the talks with the officials of National Health Mission (NHM) and health minister Veena George failed to produce a desirable result. For over a month, a section of ASHAs have been protesting in the state demanding a hike in monthly honorarium from ₹7,000 to ₹21,000 and a retirement benefit of ₹5 lakh once they exit from the profession.

On Thursday, UDF MLAs led by Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan staged a walkout from the assembly and marched to the site of protests of the ASHAs, promising them support in their ongoing agitation.

“Our demand is that the Centre must hike its incentives and the state the honorarium for the ASHAs. The activists are demanding ₹21,000 as monthly honorarium which is valid because unskilled laborers in the state are getting a daily wage of ₹700. They are working long hours and they should get the right wages. What saddened us is that even ministers are mocking them. We chose to support them because their agitation is genuine,” he said.

Meanwhile, George reached Delhi and said that she has sought an appointment with her central counterpart JP Nadda.

She also said that there was a “clear politics” behind the demand of the ASHAs for hike in honorarium as opposed to a hike in incentives which is disbursed by the Union government.

“By saying that they only want their honorarium to be increased and not the incentives, there is clear politics. While the State pays the honorarium, the state and Union government together pays incentives in a 40:60 ratio. There has not been a hike of single paisa in the incentive under the Union government scheme since 2005-06,” she said.

The health minister has said that she would raise the state’s long-pending demands for an AIIMS hospital, medical colleges in Kasaragod and Wayanad and the Union government’s share for central schemes in the 2023-24 FY with Nadda.