Our Correspondent
Diphu, Jan. 18 (EMN): Under the banner of the All India Central Council of Trade Union (AICCTU) the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers in Karbi Anglong protested in front of the deputy commissioner’s office on Jan.17, Wed. to register a number of demands associated with funds before the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely.
After several hours of the protests, the ASHA workers handed a memorandum addressed to Jaitely demanding ‘adequate financial allocation’ to centrally-sponsored schemes to ensure the implementation of the recommendation of the 45th Indian labour Conference for the scheme’s workers. It said that nearly sixty lakh workers, mostly women from poor and marginalized sections of the society, are working under major flagship programmes of the government of India. The programmes included the ICDS, NHM and MDMS which deliver basic services of nutrition, health and pre-primary education and maternal and childcare. These schemes cover eight crore children under six months, more than two crore mothers and 11 crore children of the ages six-14 years of age.
The organisations demanded implementation of the recommendation of the 45th Indian Labour Conference for scheme workers; recognition as workers with a minimum wage of not less than INR 18,000 per month and social security including monthly pension of not less than INR 3000 to all scheme works, no privatization of schemes in any form and no subversion by way of cash transfer or exclusion of beneficiaries and adequate financial allocation in the union budget for the financial year 2018-19.
Among others, the workers have also put their demands before the state’s government for construction of a ‘ASHA bhawan’ at every public health centre; increase incentives by INR 18000; provide drinking water to scheme workers while in duty; provide free medical treatment and duty hours limited by eight hours.
Besides, Angandwadi workers and helpers of the ICDS under the All Assam Anganwadi Workers Union supported by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) protested at the Semson Sing Ingti Memorial Park. They also demanded increased honorarium by INR 18,000 per month, pension of INR 3000 per month and regularization of their service.
The president of the All Assam Anganwadi workers Union Ranima Das said that in Karbi Anglong although the amount of honorarium received by Anganwadi workers and helpers is only INR 3000, it was still ‘not received regularly.’ Arrears since 2012 have not been ‘received,’ he said. Apart from rice and lentils no other materials reach Aganwadi centres for children, an Anganwadi worker Sumita Beypi from Samelangso block said.
