Karnataka ASHA workers to hold Taluk-level protests today over inadequate salary, lack of PPE kits

Mangalore Today News Network / News18

Bengaluru, July 24, 2020:   The Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) on Thursday decided to hold protests at taluk level across the state on July 24 demanding a hike in their remuneration.

 

They have been agitating since July 10 pressing a charter of demands including increasing their salary to Rs 12,000 per month instead of approximately Rs 6,000 a month, COVID-19 insurance and PPE kits.

"Other than mere assurances, we have not got anything yet. We have decided to hold Taluk level agitation on Friday," ASHA Union state general secretary D Nagalakshmi told PTI.

Nearly 42,000 activists are off duty now to press for their demands, she said.

There is intense pressure on some of the ASHA workers from superior officers to come to work and many have succumbed to it, she claimed.

The Congress has extended its support to the agitation and said if the government does not heed to the demands of the ASHA workers, the party would organise ’Bengaluru Chalo’ and lay siege the CM House.