The protest demonstration of ASHA and other scheme workers entered today in the 3rd consecutive day and the participation of ASHAs has been increasing with every passing day at press club Jammu. Even ASHA Workers belong to far flung area of Jammu region are also joining the protest. These workers are demanding worker’s status to ASHA, implementation of recommendations of 45th ILC on scheme worker to recognize them as workers, minimum wages not less than Rs.18000/- per month and social security including monthly pension not less than Rs. 3000/- , give coverage of EPF and ESI to scheme workers, stop harassment of ASHA at their workplace, adequate budget allocation for the central and state schemes,.Sham Parsad Kesar while addressing congratulate ASHA workers for their successful three days call for protest demonstration he said on the first day nearly twenty lakh scheme workers came out on streets in demonstration to make the all India strike successful. He said future course of the joint struggle including indefinite strike and Padav will be decided after the union Budget 2018-19 depending on the response of the government. This protest demonstration of ASHA will surely strengthen their unity to press the government for their demands he added. He urged upon ASHA workers to ‘reach to unreached’ workers and aware them to join with ASHA unity and prepare them for biggest struggle in near future. He warned the present dispensation to think upon the genuine demands of ASHA and other scheme workers or ready to face a biggest struggle. 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 harassment of ASHAs should also be stopped at their workplace.
General Secretary of State CITU Om Parkash, demanded that ASHA should be given minimum wages of Rs.6750/- pm @ Rs.225/- per day till the demands of minimum wages of Rs.18000/- is fulfilled. 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 only a 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.Anita Rajput, president of ASHA Workers union said in his address to the gathering that the government should allocate financial budget for health in the union budget 2018-19 failing which an indefinite strike will be observed after the budget session. She further said that there should be not privatization of scheme and NHM should be made a permanent programme. She urged upon all ASHA workers to mobilize the entire ASHA Workers working in the state to come under the banner of ASHA Worker Union – Jammu for strengthening their unity and to intensify their struggle till their demands are met.Other spoke on this occasion were Anita, Sunita Bhagat, Beena, Anita, Gita Rani, Bimla, Kanta, Raiba, Darshana. (PTK)