After ASHA, Anganwadi workers begin protest demanding wage revision

Thiruvananthapuram: Leaving the Kerala government in a tight spot, a group of Anganwadi workers launched an indefinite stir outside the Secretariat here demanding a hike in their minimum wages and post retirement benefits. Indian National Anganwadi Employees Federation, affiliated with INTUC, the trade union of Congress, started the day and night protest in front of the secretariat on Monday. Their major demands are hike their honorarium to Rs 21,000 and increase their post-returement benefit to Rs 5 lakh.

In a bid to counter the protest, the state government has issued an order declaring that those staging the protest will not receive their honorarium.

The agitation was started when the indefinite protest of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers in front of the Secretariat completed 36 days. Hundreds of ASHA workers are staging the protest seeking post-retirement benefits and a hike in their honorarium.

Raising similar demands, the Anganwadi workers told media that their honorarium are never paid in one go and it is disbursed in installments.

They also claimed that those who retire from the service after working for over 40 years are not given any pension despite a deduction of Rs 500 from their monthly wages for post-retirement benefits.

They also alleged that they have to spend out of their pocket for the needs of the Anganwadis.

On Monday, ASHA workers laid a siege to the Secretariat by blocking its main gate till evening. Announcing third phase of the ongoing stir, they declared that three of them will observe an indefinite hunger strike from March 20.

Though the protesting leaders acknowledged the state government's action of issuing an order relaxing 10 eligibility criteria for receiving an honorarium, they made it clear that they would not end their stir until their major demands are met.

According to the Left government, it has not received any cash grant from the central government under the National Health Mission (NHM) for 2023-24 for payment towards various Centre-sponsored schemes, including for ASHA.

However, the central government has rejected the state's claims and contended that it has given what was due, but the utilisation certificate has not come from Kerala.

It said that once the certificate is produced, the requisite amounts would be given to the ASHA workers and the state.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda also announced in Parliament that the NHM's Mission Steering Group has decided to raise the incentives for ASHA workers.