THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Remaining non-committal on the main demands of the striking ASHA workers, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has indicated that their agitation should be directed against the Centre which has not hiked their incentive even once and not against the state that pays them the highest honorarium.
Pinarayi said the government had held many rounds of discussions with ASHA workers and assured them that their honorarium would be increased once the state’s fiscal condition improved. However, a section of ASHA workers continued to insist on an increased honorarium of Rs 21,000 and a retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh, he said. The chief minister pointed out that of the 26,125 ASHA workers, 90% were not on strike and were carrying out their daily duties. During a discussion with trade unions, the health minister had announced that a committee headed by an IAS officer would examine the ASHA workers’ demands and submit a report within three months, he said.
The chief minister said the fourth anniversary celebrations of the second LDF government will be held from April 21 to May 30 with a variety of programmes.
The programmes will highlight the achievements over the past nine years since the LDF government assumed office in 2016. The celebrations will begin on May 21 at Kasaragod and meetings will be held later in all districts, with the chief minister in attendance. The celebrations will culminate at Thiruvananthapuram.