In Public Interest: Ignored and underpaid - ASHA Workers fight for fair pay

Over 26,000 workers of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), which started in 2005 as a rural health initiative, have been protesting for more than 140 days against the state government demanding better salaries and retirement benefits. The protests began on February 10 outside the state’s Secretariat. Their demands include an increase in their monthly honorarium from Rs 7,000 to Rs 21,000. They also want a retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh to be paid at the age of 62, and other social security measures including pensions. Despite months of protests and many discussions with the state government, their demands remain unaddressed. Many state governments claim that the program is under the National Health Mission and the union government should contribute more. For instance, the Kerala government says that an increase in honorarium for 26,000 ASHA workers is not feasible, while Sikkim which has 700 odd workers can do it. In this episode of In Public Interest, Shabbir Ahmed and Haritha John unpack the unprecedented agitation by ASHA workers who are considered as the final link in India’s rural health care chain.