Rationalisation: Karnataka ASHA workers warn of stir from February 27

ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers have warned of launching an indefinite strike on February 27 over a health department order to rationalise the number of workers and failure to meet their demands. 

The Karnataka State Joint ASHA Workers' Association condemned the order issued by the department. 

According to law, one ASHA worker is allocated per 1,000 people. Under rationalisation, the department has decided to increase the assigned population from 1,000 to a maximum of 2,000 in rural areas. 

In urban areas, with a population more than 50,000, the department had decided to increase the assigned population from 1,000 to a minimum of 2,500 and a maximum of 3,000. 

D Nagalakashmi, state secretary, ASHA Union AITUC, said, "The secretary of the department informed us that until the population assigned is only 1,000, an honorarium of Rs 10,000 cannot be achieved. So he advised us to increase the population assigned for each ASHA to 2,000 and let go of the other workers who will be extras. How is that fair?” 

She said: "This will result in 7,000-8,000 ASHAs being removed, rendering them jobless. This is only being done in Karnataka."  

Currently, the state government pays ASHA workers an honorarium of Rs 5,000 while the central government provides them performance-based incentive.

However, to receive the incentive, a primary health community officer (PHCO) leading the ASHA workers will have to enter the details on the ASHA portal.

But since recruitments have not been done for PHCO posts, workers are struggling to receive incentives, the ASHA workers said. 

ASHA workers have also submitted pre-budget demands to the government, including increasing the combined incentive from state and central government to Rs 15,000. They want the state to increase the honorarium from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000, as promised in the Congress party’s election manifesto. 

The have also requested for a lump sum benefit to retired ASHA workers like in West Bengal, a corpus fund to cover treatment expenses for ASHA workers suffering from serious illnesses, with reimbursement provisions, and ASHA workers suffering from severe illness being given fixed monthly honorarium during recovery period of three months.

For the same reasons, ASHA workers held an indefinite protest in January. On the fourth day of the protest, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah intervened and promised to fulfill the demands.