BENGALURU: Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) met Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Tuesday and submitted a list of their long-pending demands. They have been protesting for years now, including during the pandemic where they served as frontline warriors. They demanded that their monthly wages, currently fixed at Rs 4,000, be hiked to Rs 12,000.
The Karnataka Rajya ASHA Karyakartha Sangha demanded that they be given the promised Rs 5,000 risk allowance from the government. They asked for Rs 500 per day for working overtime, while also pushing for fixed working hours and days.
They have also not received the Rs 50 lakh compensation from the Centre, promised for families of those ASHA workers who died due to Covid-19. The health workers have asked not to be included in duties requiring them to go to public places such as bus stands as well as night duty, and sought two pairs of good quality uniforms.