THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: AICC general secretary K C Venugopal has asked the state government to increase the honorarium of ASHA workers. “Since it is the responsibility of the state government to implement the programme, it has the responsibility to increase the honorarium,” he said. Venugopal was speaking to the media on Saturday.
He questioned the state government’s stance that it is the Central government’s responsibility to increase the incentive first. “Other states have increased the honorarium. If the state government increases the honorarium and demands the Central government to increase its share, the UDF will definitely stand with the government,” he said.
Venugopal criticised Congress’s trade union INTUC’s stance against the striking ASHA workers. “Congress has always supported popular protests. It is not who is protesting which is important. If the protest is for the uplift of the poor, Congress will support it. This is the national policy of the Congress. INTUC leadership in the state must stand with the party’s position,” he added.
He said the Central government’s stance on ASHA workers’ protest raises suspicion. “When the UDF MPs raised the issue in Parliament, the Union Health Minister said that the government was considering a hike in honorarium. However, when I sought more clarification, he did not give a proper reply. The minister also denied permission to meet him in his office,” Venugopal said.