Jammu, 18th January, 2018 (KNO) : The scheme workers - ASHA, Mid-Day-Meal and others’ observed their protest demonstration in the 2nd consecutive day at press club Jammu. A large number of ASHA, Mid-Day-Meal and other scheme workers from different blocks of Jammu Region participated in this protest demanding worker’s status to all scheme workers including ASHA, Mid- Day- Meal, CPW 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 Mid-Day-Meal schemes,ICDS etc, adequate budget allocation for the central and state schemes, provide them Pension and Social Security and regularization of CPW workers under SRO 308 .
Speaking to protesting workers Sham Parsad Kesar said that this protest will continue for three days to force the present dispensation to think upon the genuine demands of ASHA and other scheme workers. He said ASHA who are mostly women numbering fifteen thousand in our state have to work for more than 8 hours playing a significant role to aware and provide health services to poor and rural population and also to those living in neglected and far flung areas where no regular staff of health department is deployed by the government. But unfortunately government paying them a meager amount of incentive Rs. 500 to Rs.1000 pm and not minimum wages. He urged upon the government to recognized and regularised ASHA and pay them wages Rs. 18000/-pm and social security benefits like pension, gratuity, etc. He further said that there are number of complaints that ASHAs are being insulted and harassed in most of health centre by the regular staff even doctors so we identifying such persons of health department and submit their written complaint to the concerned competent authority.
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.
Mr. Manjit Singh Minhas, leader of Mid-Day-Meal Workers said in his address to gathering that Mid-Day-Meal is the biggest boarding scheme for the school going children in the world and this has been continue since 1996 and task given to mid day meal workers to scale down the drop rate of school going children is successful and this scheme should also be continue in future also. He said MDM workers have to work for 6-7 hours a day and a single workers have to prepare meal for 100 to 500 children daily and get meager payment @ Rs.1000 pm only for 10 months in a year. He said government is handing over this scheme to some NGOs and throwing the workers out of job this move of government cannot be tolerate at any cost, he urged upon the workers to strengthen their unity and intensify their struggle.
Other spoke on this occasion were Anita Rajput Vice president of ASHA Union, Beena, Anita, Gita Rani, Bimla, Kanta, Raiba, Darshana .(KNO)