India News | In Open Letter to Health Minister, ASHA Workers Demand Rights and Not Just 'honour'
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The largest trade union representing ASHA workers has urged the Centre to recognise them as formal employees with statutory rights, rather than merely honouring them with symbolic gestures.
New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) The largest trade union representing ASHA workers has urged the Centre to recognise them as formal employees with statutory rights, rather than merely honouring them with symbolic gestures.
In an open letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Thursday, the ASHA Workers' and Facilitators' Federation of India acknowledged the government's decision to invite 250 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers as special guests to the 76th Republic Day celebrations in Delhi.
However, it questioned the selection criteria and criticised the lack of financial and social security for ASHA workers.
ASHA workers are the backbone of maternal and child health care and have been instrumental in India's fight against tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, the federation pointed out in the letter.
Their contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic were internationally recognised when the World Health Organization (WHO) honoured them as "Global Leaders", it said.
Despite these contributions, ASHA workers are still classified as "volunteers" and receive only piece-rate wages, with guaranteed incentives as low as Rs 2,000 per month, the federation highlighted.
It also noted in the letter that these incentives were last revised in 2010.
ASHA workers lack essential benefits such as health insurance, maternity leave and pensions, leaving them financially vulnerable, it added.
The federation reminded the government of the 45th Indian Labour Conference recommendations from 2013, which called for minimum wages, social security and pension benefits for ASHA workers.
It also raised concerns about delayed wage payments in several states due to the central government's failure to release funds on time.
The federation criticised the government's Republic Day recognition of ASHA workers without addressing their fundamental rights.
"Such 'honouring' programmes will be ridiculed by ASHA workers and the public if their rightful dignity and entitlements are not ensured," the federation said.
With the Union Budget for 2025-26 set to be presented on Saturday, the federation has urged the government to significantly increase the financial allocation for the National Health Mission and take immediate steps to regularise ASHA workers as government employees with full statutory benefits.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)