ASHA workers continue protest despite Kerala govt's assurance to withdraw honorarium cuts

Thiruvananthapuram: Despite the Kerala government's decision to withdraw conditions that hindered full honorarium payments to ASHA workers, the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association has decided to continue its protest until all demands are met.

Health Minister Veena George announced on Wednesday that the e-Health department has been directed to discontinue the OTP verification system in the Shaili application. Additionally, pending honorariums for the past two months, along with this month's payment, will be disbursed from Thursday. She also stated that the central government has been urged to increase incentives for ASHA workers.

The association’s key demands include raising the monthly honorarium to Rs 21,000 and providing a retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh. Until these demands are fulfilled, the protest will continue, its leaders said. Currently, ASHA workers receive an honorarium of Rs 7,000, a rate set in 2018, along with 10 conditions related to their work. Failure to meet any of these conditions, such as attending ward-level committee meetings, results in a deduction of Rs 700 per worker. With 26,478 ASHA workers in the state, many have been receiving reduced honorariums due to these deductions.

The Shaili application is used for lifestyle disease surveys conducted by ASHA workers, requiring them to collect over 60 data points from each household. Verification involves sending an OTP to the respondent’s mobile number, which the ASHA worker must enter into the app. However, workers have long demanded the removal of this OTP requirement, as people are often unwilling to share OTPs due to concerns over fraud. With the survey set to conclude on February 28, protest leaders argue that withdrawing the OTP requirement now is too little, too late.

Minister accused of crediting CITU for the decision
Meanwhile, protesters have alleged that the government is attempting to credit CITU for the decision to withdraw the conditions on honorarium payments. The ongoing protest in front of the Secretariat, led by an independent organisation, has received support from the opposition and other unions. The minister stated that the decision followed discussions with ASHA workers' representatives on the 6th. However, CITU-affiliated unions had also launched an indefinite protest outside the health directorate on the same day, which was promptly withdrawn after assurances from the minister.

Protesting ASHA workers have questioned the timing of the government's decision. “If the withdrawal of conditions was the result of the CITU-led protest, why did our protest have to continue for 10 more days?” asked leaders of the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association.