Jalandhar: ASHA workers seek salary hike, write to PM

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 24

Members of the ASHA Workers and Facilitators’ Union submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, Ghanshyam Thori addressed to the Prime Minister in support of their demands here on Friday.

One of their major demands was that they wanted a salary of Rs 24,000 per month on a regular basis. Their second major demand was restarting of Rs 2,500 as allowance they were receiving until last month for Covid-19.

The other demands of the union included suspending a host of other works ASHA workers were being asked to do, apart from their primary duties, appointment of adequate ANMs to carry out duties, ASHA workers and volunteers’ monthly allowances be doubled, incentives for pulse polio duties be increased.

Rajwinder Bala, president of the ASHA Workers and Facilitators’ Union, said, “The ASHA workers get a mere Rs 1,500 in allowances per month and Rs 250 to Rs 100 as incentives for domestic and institutional deliveries, respectively. “This is very little and we can barely survive on it. On top of it, our Covid allowance of Rs 2,500 per month has also been stopped from this month onwards, even though we are continuing with all the duties assigned to us. There is too much pressure on us as we have lots of jobs to do related to pulse polio, deliveries and vaccination duties to attend, but we are getting a pittance in return. The government is totally dependent on us for providing healthcare services on the doorstep of the common populace.”

General secretary Mashu said, “Previously, we were carrying out seven visits for maternal care. Now, the number of visits has been increased to 12 to take care of mother and child. While our work is piling up, our allowances are decreasing. We want the Covid allowance to be restarted. At a time when the inflation is spiralling, it has become difficult for us to make ends meet with meagre allowances.”