Gujarat ASHA workers to restart agitation over fixed wage

ASHA workers’ leader, Chandrika Solanki, on Monday announced that ASHA workers will restart the agitation demanding a fixed pay and fixed working hours for the ASHA workers along with retirement benefits.  In a release on Monday, Solanki, who had contested as an Independent candidate from Vadodara city, said that the workers will sit on a state-wide strike on January 17 to restart their protest against the ruling BJP government.

ASHA workers have demanded a fixed pay of Rs 9,450 as opposed to incentive and result based monthly payment that is currently handed out to them. The demand also includes a fixed pay of Rs 18,000 for Aanganwadi workers as against the current Rs 6,300 as well as Rs 16,000 fixed pay for the facilitator level of ASHA workers.

Last year, Solanki and several ASHA workers had demonstrated at the premises of the Vadodara District Collectorate ahead of the assembly polls, including a hunger strike of eight days.