Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Feb 21 (PTI) Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Friday said that the LDF government has always supported the demands of Accredited Social Health Activist workers for higher benefits and has raised the issue with the central government in the past two pre-budget meetings.

Balagopal further stated that the Kerala government has been urging the Centre to increase the benefits of all central scheme workers, including ASHA workers, but no action has been taken thus far.

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He also said that Kerala provides significantly higher benefits to ASHA workers when compared to many other states.

"Those who are on strike are aware of these facts," he added.

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The minister was responding to reporters' queries about the ongoing protest by ASHA workers, who have been agitating outside the Secretariat for the past 11 daysw, demanding an increased honorarium and other benefits.

Balagopal claimed that the state's health minister held discussions with the ASHA workers and many of their concerns had been addressed.

However, some political parties were using the ASHA workers' protest to their advantage by criticising the government over it, he claimed.

When reporters asked about the purported hike of Public Service Commission members' salaries with retrospective effect, the minister said PSC members held statutory posts and their wages were paid in accordance with the law.

"It is not right to compare that with the current protest," he said.

(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)