ASHAs, other schemes’ workers protest on 2nd consecutive day

ASHAs, Mid-Day-Meal and other schemes’ workers during a protest near Press Club, Jammu. — Excelsior/Rakesh
ASHAs, Mid-Day-Meal and other schemes’ workers during a protest near Press Club, Jammu. — Excelsior/Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 18: Workers of various schemes including Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Mid Day Meal workers drawn from various parts of Jammu region held a protest on 2nd consecutive day near Press Club, here today.
A large number of ASHA, Mid-Day-Meal, CPWs and other scheme workers from different blocks of Jammu region participated in the protest demanding implementation of recommendations of 45th Indian Labour Conference (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, pension and social security benefits for scheme workers and regularization of CPWs 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 schemes’ workers. He said ASHAs who are 15000 in number our State have to work for more than 8 hours to aware the rural masses and provide them health services but unfortunately Government is paying them a meager amount of incentive in the form of Rs 500 to Rs 1000 per month instead of minimum wages.
He urged upon the Government to recognize and regularize ASHAs and pay them minimum wages of Rs 18000 per month, besides social security benefits like pension, gratuity, etc.
Manjit Singh Manhas, leader of Mid-Day-Meal (MDM) workers, in his address, said MDM workers have to work for 6-7 hours a day and a single worker has to prepare meal for 100 to 500 children daily and in turn they get meager payment of Rs 1000 per month only and that too for 10 months in a year.
On the alleged move of the Government to hand over this scheme to some NGOs and throwing the workers out of job, he said this move of Government cannot be tolerated at any cost. He urged upon the workers to unite for fighting against this move of the Government.

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