Amaravati: Not many days after Jagan’s government announced the 300% pay hike, ASHA workers staged a massive protest in Vijayawada, demanding the Chief Minister to fulfil the promise made. The Accredited Social Health Activist workers and Community Health Workers gathered in huge numbers protesting the newly introduced grading system, which allows for only some workers to be paid the Rs 10,000 salary.
Into details, workers are said to be categorised into three grades, A, B, and C based on the services provided by them. The salary is issued depending on their grading after reviewing by district officials, which means only workers falling in category A can receive a payment of Rs 10,000. Adding to it, low grades can also lead to the worker losing her job. And the workers require a matriculation certificate. These new rules received outrage from ASHA workers around the state.
The workers also demanded payment of their honorariums immediately, as it has been pending for over four months. The protest garnered support from CITU (Centre for Indian Trade Unions). Under heated circumstances, few of the workers were detained at the Two Town Police station. National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has responded to the protests, writing to district officials to issue the workers’ payment on time.