The AHSA workers held a sit-in in front of the District Collector’s offices in Anantapur and Kurnool on Thursday, demanding that the government make their services permanent, apart from providing retirement benefits and improving their working conditions.
The workers gathered in large numbers at the main gate of the Collectorate in Anantapur, blocking the vehicular traffic for some time.
The police cleared one carriageway for the vehicles as more than 100 workers squatted on the road seeking solutions to their problems. Holding placards, they said the National Health Mission grants must be increased and they be given better pay scales. Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) district general secretary E.S. Venkatesh, ASHA Workers’ Association president Nagamani led a procession from Srikantham Circle in the city and reached the Collector’s office, demanding that the workers be recognised as government employees.
Work pressure
“Many ASHA workers, who have discharged the frontline duties during the COVID-19 pandemic, died of the virus. Their families must be given ₹50 lakh as insurance amount,” Mr. Venkatesh said.
In Kurnool, the ASHA workers carried a banner displaying all their demands.
They expressed concern over the increasing work pressure and wanted one ASHA Worker be appointed for each 1,000 population. Welfare schemes must be implemented for these frontline workers, they said.
