BENGALURU: The state government has warned Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA workers) who are boycotting their works that they will face cut in their incentives if they do not resume their duties.
A notification issued by the state government on January 4 said all the ASHA workers have to return to work and present reports of their duties to the district deputy commissioner concerned everyday. “If they fail to do so, their incentives will be cut”, it said. It also stated that doctors and officials of primary healthcare centres should tell ASHA workers to work regularly and that their demands will be fulfilled by the state government “soon”.
However, ASHA workers have decided to continue to boycott their work despite the strictures from the government. Ganga, an ASHA worker from Uttara Kannada said, “We will not get back to work no matter what. Let the state government release our dues pending for 15 months and then we will get back to work. We can’t keep working when we are not getting our money. None of our demands has been met so far.”
Hanumesh of the ASHA Union said that the Union will go to every district and submit letters to the district health officers and district deputy commissioners stating that the ASHA workers will hold protests everyday.
“We have submitted a letter to the Chikkabalapur DC and DHO urging them not to pressure the ASHA workers to get back to work. “The demands of ASHA workers include a minimum monthly honorarium of Rs 12,000, delinking of ASHA incentives from Asha Soft or Reproductive Child Health (RCH) Portal. They demanded an immediate release of incentives due for over 15 months in one go.