ASHA Workers Protest in Kerala

 

ASHA Workers Protest in Kerala

• What happened?

                More than 1,000 ASHA workers came to the streets in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of                  Kerala. They were protesting against the government. These women came from different                          parts of the state.

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Why are they protesting?

Main Demands:

1. They want more salary (honorarium).

2. They want a retirement benefit – around ₹5 lakh.

3. They want their payments to be regular and not delayed.

4. They want the government to treat them like real workers, not just "volunteers".

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What did they do?

1. These ASHA workers were sitting and protesting in front of the Secretariat for 22 days.

2. Then, they walked towards the Legislative Assembly.

3. The police stopped them using barricades, so they sat on the road and started singing songs.

4. They reminded the government how they worked hard during COVID-19, even when everyone was scared.

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Who are ASHA Workers?

1. ASHA stands for Accredited Social Health Activist.

2. They work for the Health Department in villages and small towns.

3. There are around 26,125 ASHA workers in Kerala.

4. They help with vaccinations, health surveys, and mothers and babies care.

5. They can work till the age of 62.

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How much do they earn?

1. The state government gives ₹7,000 per month as honorarium – the highest in India.

2. They also get extra money (incentives) from both Central and State governments.

3. But many workers said – “We don’t get full amount. Payments come late. Sometimes it comes, sometimes not.”

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What’s the government saying?

1. Veena George, the Health Minister, said:

   • "Most ASHA workers get ₹10,000 to ₹13,000 per month."

   • "Central Government is not giving their part of the money."

   • "Even without that, we still gave money in 2023-24."

2. She also said – “ASHA workers are volunteers, not regular staff. So we don’t need to give them minimum wage of ₹700 per day.”

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What are opposition leaders saying?

1. VD Satheesan, Leader of Opposition, said:

   • "This government is ignoring the protest."

   • "This is not a worker’s party. They are behaving like capitalists."

2. KK Rema, MLA, said:

   • "Many ASHA workers are not getting ₹13,000."

   • "The Chief Minister should talk directly to the protestors."

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Delay in payment

1. When the strike started in February, workers didn’t get money for 3 months (Nov to Jan).

2. Only last week, the government paid all pending dues.

3. But workers still want permanent solution and retirement money.

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Protests in Parliament too

1. Earlier, ASHA workers also protested in Delhi.

2. They blamed the central government for not giving incentive money.

3. In Kerala, the government used police pressure to stop them.

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So what's the final situation now?

• ASHA workers are still not happy.

• They want respect, better money, and future security.

• The government says they are doing their best, but blaming central government too.

• Opposition is supporting the ASHA workers.

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🧠 Smart Note:

ASHA workers played a big role during COVID-19. They helped poor people get health services. But still they are not treated like real employees. That's why they feel bad and angry.

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🧾 Numbered Summary – Quick Revision:

1. 1000+ ASHA women protested in Kerala capital.

2. Protest continued for 22 days before marching to Assembly.

3. Police blocked them; they sat and sang songs.

4. Demands: Better pay, regular payments, ₹5 lakh retirement benefit.

5. Current pay is ₹7,000 + incentives; they want more.

6. Government blamed the centre for not giving enough money.

7. Opposition leaders attacked the state govt for ignoring ASHA workers.

8. Workers already protested in Delhi before.

9. Payments were delayed for 3 months before getting cleared.

10. Protest still going on as ASHA workers want long-term support.

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🔁 Flow Diagram – ASHA Protest Summary

A[ASHA Workers Protest] --> B(Protesting since 22 days)
B --> C[Marched to Legislative Assembly]
C --> D[Blocked by Police]
D --> E[Sang Songs & Demanded Justice]
E --> F[Main Demands: More Pay, Retirement Money]
F --> G[Government: We Paid | Blame Centre]
G --> H[Opposition: Govt Not Listening]
H --> I[Current Status: Protest Ongoing]