Report by Mazdoor Ekta Committee correspondent
On 10 December 2024, thousands of Asha workers staged a strong protest under the leadership of Asha Workers Union. They surrounded the District Medical and Health Office of Hyderabad in support of their demands.
The ASHA workers demanded that the government fix their wages at the minimum at Rs 18,000 per month. Further, they demanded that the government should provide an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh, retirement settlement of Rs 2 lakh, ESI and Rs 50,000 to cover the cost of their last rites at the time of death.
The ASHA workers held talks with the Joint Director. The Joint Director said that implementing fixed wages is a policy decision. Such a decision has to be taken only by the government. He assured the ASHA workers that they would henceforth enjoy holidays on Sundays and festivals. The wages for leprosy and pulse polio surveys have not been paid in full to the ASHA workers yet. On this issue, the Joint Director said that 25 per cent of the wages have been paid, and assured that the remaining amount will be paid soon.
Revealing the strategy planned for their protests, ASHA workers said that they will hold more such protests from 17 December, which will include processions in buses, padayatras, relay hunger strikes at district headquarters and protests in front of the houses of MLAs to keep the pressure on the state government to meet their demands.
ASHA workers warned the state government that if it fails to meet their demands by the budget session in February 2025, they will all go on an indefinite strike.