ASHA workers staged a protest in Dharamsala on Thursday in support of their long-pending demands, including regularisation of service, fixed monthly salaries and social security benefits. The protest was organised as part of a nationwide call given by the All India ASHA Employees Federation affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS). They submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Prime Minister, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, to the Kangra Deputy Commissioner.
The union leaders said that they had been working under the National Health Mission (NHM) for several years and had played a crucial role in implementing healthcare programmes, including maternal and child health services, immunisation drives, public awareness campaigns, sanitation initiatives and other government health schemes. Despite their significant contribution, they were still not being recognised as regular employees and paid only incentive-based remuneration instead of a fixed monthly salary.
The union demanded the regularisation of the services of all ASHA workers, ASHA facilitators and coordinators, along with monthly salaries ranging from Rs 26,000 to Rs 48,000 depending on the post. They also sought annual salary increments, equal pay for equal work, Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees’ State Insurance (ESI), pension benefits, retirement benefits and a transparent promotion policy.
Their other demands were a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the bereaved family of an ASHA worker who dies in an accident while on duty, a retirement benefit of Rs 10 lakh, uniforms twice a year, travel allowance and dedicated rest rooms in hospitals.
The union also called for the abolition of the contractual employment system, outsourcing of ASHA-related work to private agencies and demanded an increase in incentive payments for vaccination-related duties. The protesters warned that if the government did not take a positive decision on their demands at the earliest, they would intensify their agitation.