The Kerala government has constituted a five-member commission headed by Women and Child Development Department director Haritha V Kumar to comprehensively study the various aspects related to the functioning of ASHA workers, including their honorarium, working hours, tasks, training, retirement age, and qualifications. The order issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department on May 12 says that the committee should submit its report within three months.

The decision to constitute such a committee was first taken at a meeting convened by Health Minister Veena George with ASHA workers on April 3. Initially, the agitating ASHA workers were against the proposed committee.

They had argued that a study by a committee was a redundant exercise if it was to find out whether ASHAs were poorly paid and required retirement benefits. Later, after realising that it would comprehensively study the working conditions of ASHAs, the protesting workers welcomed the creation of the proposed committee.

Nonetheless, their approval of the committee was conditional. On April 7, while meeting labour minister V Sivankutty, the ASHAs said they welcomed the committee but insisted that it should be constituted only after increasing the honorarium by at least Rs 3000. The government refused to increase the honorarium and now, one-and-a-half months after it was mooted, the committee has been formed.

Besides the Women and Child Development Department director, who will function as the chairperson, the committee has four others. The Health Department additional secretary, R Subhash, will be the convenor. Others are: an officer nominated by the Finance Department, an officer nominated by the Labour Department and the National Health Mission's social development head, K M Seena. The committee will hold discussions with various trade unions of ASHA workers and submit the report within three months.

The stubbornness of the government had forced the agitating ASHAs to revitalise their campaign. After mounting a long and arduous protest in front of the Secretariat since February 10, ASHAs began a day-and-night march from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram on May 5, the 85th day of their agitation. The march will culminate in Thiruvananthapuram on June 17, after 45 days. Their major demands include an honorarium increase from Rs 7000 to Rs 21,000 and a retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh.