ASHA workers in Karnataka will get Rs 7 thousand directly
Bengaluru: Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao met Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) protesting at Freedom Park and assured them that the government will ensure direct loans of Rs. Rs 7,000 instead of the existing Rs 5,000 in their bank accounts. He requested them to withdraw their protest.
However, the Asha workers have decided to continue their protest, demanding intervention from the Chief Minister. Alleging that 50 per cent of ASHA workers in the state are not getting paid for the work, they demanded separating the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal from the payment process and giving them a fixed honorarium of Rs 15,000.
The minister assured them of a direct transfer of Rs 7,000 (including the existing honorarium of Rs 5,000 and Rs 2,000 for non-MCTS (Mother and Child Tracking System)) and said the government was developing a software that would allow ASHAs to self-upload their activities. Helps to do and keep track. The incentives they deserve.
“This will make the payment system more transparent,” he said, adding that he would discuss with the Chief Minister about providing fixed honorarium.
Saying that their demands were not met by the Health Minister’s assurances, the employees decided to continue their protest. Their other demands are to stop emphasizing on mobile-based work and working without incentives, treating ASHAs as workers and providing minimum wage, PF, ESI, gratuity benefits, increasing the honorarium of Rs 2,000 to ASHAs working in cities, etc.
