ASHA workers' protest: Govt invites unions for fresh talks

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Wednesday invited ASHA workers, who have been protesting outside the Secretariat here for the last 52 days pressing for various demands, for another round of discussion to resolve the impasse.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George is set to meet with representatives of protesting ASHA workers and trade union leaders on Thursday. This development comes after George's meeting with Union Health Minister J P Nadda in New Delhi.

Despite two previous discussions, the state government have been unable to reach an agreement, as the authorities made it clear that it was not practically possible for them to accept their demands due to their financial constraints.

Expressing happiness over the invitation for a fresh round of talks, the protesters said they would continue their protest until an order is issued by the government accepting their demands.

V K Sadanandan, state president of the Kerala ASHA Health Workers' Association (KAHWA), said they received an invitation for talks from the National Health Mission (NHM) officials.

"We have high expectations about the fresh round of talks. Our demands are very clear. So, we expect that the discussion will be based on that. We are agitating to press our demands. We will stop only after our demands are accepted by the government," he told reporters here.

Mini S, another leader, said their protest has reached its 52nd day and the hunger strike has entered its 14th day.

"The fresh talks should be solely based on our demands for honourarium hikes and pension benefits. If the protest should be settled, the government should accept our demands. We have hope in the talk to be convened by the health minister," she said.

George had on Tuesday said that the central government was considering increasing the incentives of ASHA workers.

This development comes after George met with Union Health Minister J P Nadda in Delhi. Nadda asked George to inform the protesting ASHA workers that their concerns are being addressed, as they fall under a central scheme.

The protesting ASHA workers in Kerala have been demanding post-retirement benefits and an increase in their honourarium. Their agitation escalated on Monday, with some workers cutting their hair or shaving their heads in protest against the state government's alleged indifference to their demands. The protests have been ongoing for 52 days outside the Secretariat in Kerala.

(inputs from PTI)