Protesting Ashas to cut hair to press their demands

TRIVANDRUM: Women community health workers on a sit-in before Kerala’s administrative headquarters, demanding better pay and dignity, will cut their hair when the protest enters its 50th day on Monday as the authorities continue to ignore them.

- 

Accredited Social Health Activists, or Ashas, want to be officially recognised as workers and paid a monthly wage of Rs 21,000, equal to the minimum wage in the unorganised sector, as they work more than eight hours a day.

Currently, the state government pays Rs 7,000 as an honorarium, if they fulfil all conditions, while the federal government offers task-based incentives.

This way, they receive a maximum amount of Rs 13,500 a month.

Recently, they started an indefinite relay hunger strike at the sit-in.

They also demand Rs 500,000 as a retirement benefit, pension after 62 years, and to ensure regular honorarium credited by the 5th of every month.