Lok Sabha Debates
Regarding Revision Of Wages For Asha Workers- Laid. on 16 September, 2020
Seventeenth Loksabha > Title: Regarding revision of wages for ASHA workers- Laid.
SHRI G. S. BASAVARAJ (TUMKUR) : The unsung heroes of the battle against Covid-19 pandemic have most definitely been the millions of frontline women workers, especially Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAS) who have been silently working at the community level. They are engaged in numerous activities ranging from door-to-door surveys, contact tracing, awareness campaigns and monitoring quarantine/isolation. This is in addition to their regular roles ranging from taking care of pregnant women, keeping track of immunisations and making home-visits for the care of the new-born. For more than 9 million Asha workers, their monthly earning is around Rs 2,000 which is a pittance compared to the minimum wages for un skilled workers i.e., Rs 9,750/- per month suggested by an expert committee. On Covid-19 front they have been promised an incentive of Rs 1,000/- a month, but many have not received this as yet. Asha workers are not supplied PPE, Gloves/masks etc and are prone to Covid-19 infection and facing social stigma and ostracisation from community. I urge the Government to revise the wages for Asha workers and make them live and earn with dignity.