Mahabubnagar: Asha workers demand hike in salary

Mahabubnagar: Asha workers from across Telangana, under the banner of the Asha Workers Union (CITU), staged a protest at the Jadcherla MLA camp office on Friday. They were demanding the implementation of a fixed salary of Rs18,000 and better working conditions.

The protest was led by CITU District Assistant Secretary Telugu Sattayya, who called attention to the long-pending issues faced by Asha workers in the state. The workers are seeking the fulfilment of promises made by the government in its manifesto, urging immediate action.

The protesters are demanding a minimum salary of Rs26,000 and a fixed salary of Rs18,000 for all Asha workers. They also called for the inclusion of Asha workers in the Provident Fund (PF) and Employee State Insurance (ESI) schemes, along with promotion opportunities for those who have completed ANM training. In addition, the workers are asking for weekly holidays on Sundays, paid festival holidays, 20 days of casual leave, six months of medical leave, and maternity leave. Another key demand is for Asha workers to receive insurance coverage of Rs50 lakh. The protesters also raised the issue of pending payments, including arrears from 2021 and funds for surveys conducted in 2022, 2023, and 2024. They are requesting the government to cancel unpaid targets assigned to them and to implement promises made by the Health Department Commissioner in previous meetings.

The protesting workers submitted a memorandum outlining their demands to the MLA’s PA, Congress senior leader Alwal Reddy, and Councillor Kummari Raju.