Thousands of ASHA workers staging protest in second day, demanding monthly scale Rs 6000/-, scrap ASHA soft salary system in Freedom park, Bengaluru on Friday. DH Photo by S K Dinesh
Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) on Friday night called off their indefinite protest after their talks with Health Minister Ramesh Kumar succeeded.
They began the protest at Freedom Park here on Thursday pressing the government to fulfill several of their demands including hike in remuneration, regularisation of jobs among others.
"The government has decided to fix Rs 3,500 monthly honorarium. Ramesh Kumar has taken three months to rectify errors in ASHA Soft, software used for paying honorarium. He has promised to introduce a new system if ASHA Soft doesn't work properly," said K Somashekar, president, Karnataka State ASHA Workers Union (KSAWU) told DH.
The government has promised free bus passes, accommodation facility, besides Rs 50,000 for medical expenses towards certain diseases.
Over 10,000 ASHA workers from across the state joined the protest on Friday. Some of them, who are on dharana since Thursday, fell ill due to fever and cold and cough. They were sent to hospitals by 108 ambulance.
Workers said that many children, who have accompanied their mothers, too fell ill and it was difficult for them to provide treatment.
"We wanted the government to fix our honorarium salary at Rs 6,000 per month," D Nagalakshmi, secretary, KSAWU said.
Over 20,000 workers thronged bus stand and railway station to return to their natives after the protest ended.
DH News Service