Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: As a part of their 3-day protest, workers of various schemes including Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Mid Day Meal workers drawn from various parts of Jammu region held a demonstration on 3rd 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 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.
He further said that harassment of ASHAs should also be stopped at their workplace. Kesar said their 3-day protest has remained successful and the future course of the joint struggle including indefinite strike will be decided after the Union Budget 2018-19, depending on the response of the Government.
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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