ASHA workers demand pay hike
Instead of giving rewards to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), the State government should give salaries, demanded K Narasimha Rao, the district president of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
Khammam: Instead of giving rewards to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), the State government should give salaries, demanded K Narasimha Rao, the district president of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
The ASHA workers staged a dharna in association with CITU representatives, demanding the government payment of salaries, at Dharna Chowk in front of the Collectorate here on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, Narasimha Rao alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who promised the ASHA workers at Pragathi Bhavan of increasing their salaries to Rs 6,000 per month, cheated them by issuing GO No 167.
“The ASHA workers are getting an honorarium of Rs 3,000 per month, which is sanctioned by the Centre. Then what the State government is paying to ASHA workers?” he questioned. If the Central government reduces the amount of various welfare schemes then it is the responsibility of the State government to bear that expenditure for proper implementation of those schemes, he pointed out. ASHA workers union district president Banothu Amala said their agitation will continue till the government increases the salaries of ASHA workers to Rs 18,500.
She demanded the government preference to be given to ASHA workers in ANMs appointments along with sanctioning pending salaries with PF and ESI immediately. CITU leaders A Ramulu, Marri Babu Rao, M Gopal, P Mohan Rao, ASHA workers Nagamani, Anuradha, Vijaya, Radamma and Rani were present along with others.
