The wait for better pay continues for ASHAs in Tamil Nadu
The Hindu
ASHAs have been demanding regularisation of jobs, fixed monthly pay of ₹18,000 and recognition for several years.
It is a long wait for better pay for hundreds of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in Tamil Nadu. Starting with registration and follow-up of antenatal women, keeping track of immunisation of children to COVID-19 work in the last one-and-a-half years, the number of jobs they do has been increasing but their long-pending pleas for regularisation and better pay remain ignored. Serving as one of the links with villagers in hilly and hard-to-reach areas, ASHAs have been demanding regularisation of jobs, fixed monthly pay of ₹18,000 and recognition for several years. Their monthly incentives range from ₹2,000 to ₹3,000, with some of them not paid on time in many districts. Over the last one-and-a-half years, ASHAs were involved in COVID-19 work as well. The latest addition for ASHAs in a few districts are works under the State government’s flagship scheme – Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam, a cross-section of them said.More Related News