ASHA workers protest in Rajpipla over 3 months of unpaid remuneration

A large number of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker sisters staged a protest outside the District Panchayat Office in Rajpipla on Monday, demanding immediate payment of their pending remuneration and an increase in their salary.

The workers submitted a memorandum to the Chief District Health Officer and warned that they would stop health related work if their demands were not met soon.

According to the protesting workers, they have not received their remuneration for the last three months, causing serious financial hardship. The ASHA workers said that their monthly incentive is already very low and is not enough to support their families in today's rising inflation.

They claimed that even this small amount has not been credited to their accounts for three months, making it difficult to manage household expenses and meet daily needs. The workers demanded that the government increase their fixed salary by 50% and ensure that incentives are paid on time. They said that despite working long hours and providing essential healthcare services, they continue to face financial insecurity.

More than 700 ASHA workers are currently serving in Narmada district. They play a key role in the healthcare system by assisting pregnant women, promoting maternal and child health, conducting awareness campaigns, and helping implement various government health schemes in villages and remote areas. The workers said that they continue to perform their duties sincerely despite receiving low wages and delayed payments. 

In their memorandum, the ASHA workers also raised several other issues. They alleged that they had not received any incentive for election related duties, even though they worked from 7 am to 7 pm during the recently held elections. They further claimed that incentives for helping high risk pregnant women have also remained unpaid. 

Another issue highlighted by the workers was the absence of allowances for attending mandatory meetings. They said they are required to attend meetings every Saturday, but no travel or attendance allowance is provided for these gatherings.

When questioned about the matter, the District Health Officer explained that a technical change in the payment system had caused the delay. 

The ASHA workers stated that if all pending salaries and incentives are not deposited in their accounts at the earliest, they will intensify their agitation in the coming days.