(Jammu, 17th January, 2018 (KNO) : On the call of Central Trade Unions for country-wide strike, all scheme workers under the banner of ASHA Workers Union – Jammu observed a day long protest demonstration at press club Jammu. A large number of ASHA workers and other scheme workers from different districts of Jammu Region participated in this protest demanding worker’s status to all scheme workers including ASHA, Anganwadi, Mid Day Meal workers, to implement the recommendations of 45th ILC to recognize them as workers, pay them minimum wages of Rs.18000/- per month, no privatization of schemes like ICDS, NHM, MDMS, SSA etc, adequate budget allocation for the central and state schemes, provide them Pension and Social Security and regularization of CPW workers under SRO 308 .
While addressing the gathering M.Y.Tarigami, President of CITU and hon’ble MLA Kulgam said that nearly one crore workers mostly women are working under different central schemes and these scheme workers provide the basic service of food and nutrition, health and education to the majority of people of the country, even after seventy years of independence, vast majority of our population do not have access to food and nutrition, healthcare and education, we achieve these schemes through years of struggle that the governments are forced to bring some of these schemes to address these basic services although in a limited way, but Modi led NDA government which came to power in 2014 have taken all measures to close down all these schemes by curtailing the allocation of budget. He urged upon the government to recognized and regularised scheme workers and pay them wages Rs. 18000/-pm. This all India strike of scheme workers will definitely show our strength for considering demands of scheme workers before the government who is doing slavery to the corporate interests he added.
Speaking on the occasion Sham Parsad Kesar, Senior Leader of State CITU said that ASHA have to work for more than 8 hours in addition to their assigned work like collecting information of births and deaths, work with the health and sanitation committee etc. but the government considers the ASHA as voluntary health activists, ASHAs workers are not paid any wages for all this work. He said, in fact, the incentives are so low that ASHA get only between Rs. 500 to 1000 per month.. He demanded that ASHA and other scheme workers should be given minimum rate of wages of Rs.6750/- pm. @225 per day notified by the state government till the demands of Rs.18000/- is fulfilled, Implement recommendations of 45th ILC, committee headed by commissioner secretary of health department should consider the demands of ASHA Workers, cover them under the ambit of AAM ADAMI BIMA YOJNA & RASHTRIYA SWASTHAYA BIMA YOJANA.
General Secretary of State CITU Om Parkash, said that some states like Talegana, and Kerala are paying wages to ASHA Workers Rs. 6000/- and Rs.7000/- respectively and they get this demand through their constant struggle. But the ASHAs working in our state are suffered hard due to the negative attitude of Health department even a number of genuine payments and incentive under various schemes are not paid to them. He urged upon scheme workers to intensify their struggle till their demands are met.
Anita, Sunita Bhagat, Gita Rani, Anita Rajput, Bimla, Kanta, Raiba, Manjit Singh Chib Seema Sharma, Darshana also spoke on this occasion (KNO)