As part of the ongoing ‘Stop Work’ agitation of the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the State, the ASHAs of various villages in Hubballi took out a protest march on Friday.
In the agitation held under the aegis of Hubballi taluk unit of ASHAs, scores of health workers first gathered on the premises of Chitaguppi Hospital run by Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation before taking out the march.
The protesters passed through Lamington Road, Kittur Chennamma Circle, and Court Circle before reaching the Mini Vidhanasoudha where they held a demonstration. They also staged a demonstration at K.C. Circle demanding fulfilment of their rightful demands.
They said they had not received the incentives from the Sate and Union governments since a year and half, and their other demands had also not been considered by the governments.
They said that despite assurances, they had not been given the incentives and the remedial measures promised by the government had also not been initiated. The protesters demanded four sets of uniforms every year, benefits of social security schemes including Vajpayee Arogyashree Health Insurance Scheme, and timely payment of incentives for their work.
The protesters then submitted a memorandum to the Hubballi Tahsildar.
The ASHAs have pinned their hopes on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has sought time till Monday to respond to their demands.
The government has waived interest on farm loans to provide due succour to the farmers reeling under distress. Now, it should respond to the plight of ASHAs whose honorariums were due since November 2013. Their socio-economic conditions were no better than the farmers in distress, they say.
Already, more than 600 workers have voluntarily left the mission after doing a penniless job for years and many others could follow suit if the government remains indifferent to their just demands.
According to D. Nagalaxmi, State Secretary of Karnataka State ASHA Workers’ Union (affiliated to AIUTUC) on Friday, the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare announced a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs. 1,000 for ASHAs, to be paid with effect from November 2013. Subsequently, the State government announced a matching grant and an additional Rs. 200 per month as travel allowance to each worker.
But, till today, the government had disbursed a sum of Rs. 14,000 for a period of about 21 months since November 2013, while they should be getting Rs. 46,200 each.
“We are only requesting the government pay the arrears,” Ms. Nagalaxmi said, adding that the government had made part payment ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 800 recently after the launch of the indefinite strike, which is still in progress.
That apart, the major demands of the union are a set of uniform, which had been provided in all the districts except Belagavi where there were nearly 2,900 workers. It also wants free SIM cards for their mobile phones to remain accessible to the needy patients in rural areas 24x7.
