ASHA, mid-day meal workers protest outside minister’s house

Hundreds of ASHA workers, facilitators and mid-day meal workers from Amritsar and Tarn Taran on Sunday staged a protest outside the residence of Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO on the call of the Maan Bhatta Sanjha Morcha Punjab. The protesters accused the Bhagwant Mann-led government of failing to enhance the workers’honorarium before the Assembly elections.

Addressing the protest rally, led by Democratic ASHA Workers and Facilitators Union leader Paramjit Kaur Mann and Mid-Day Meal Workers’ Union leader Mamta Sharma, Sarabjit Kaur Chhajjalwadi said that the Aam Aadmi Party had promised to double the meagre honorarium paid to these workers. “After coming to power, the Bhagwant Mann government has reneged on its promises. It has been four years, but no increase has been made in the honorarium. We receive only Rs 3,000, which is insufficient to survive,” said Mamta Sharma.

Members of the Democratic Employees’ Federation also extended their support to the demand for a hike in the minimum wages of ASHA and mid-day meal workers, along with payment of retirement benefits. The worker unions gheraoed the residences of six Cabinet Ministers, demanding that the honorarium be doubled in the upcoming Budget session beginning March 6.

Paramjit Kaur Lehrka, a union leader from Tarn Taran, demanded that arrears for the past four years be released for ASHA and mid-day meal workers. She also sought free insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh and a pension of Rs 10,000 per month, along with a gratuity of Rs 5 lakh upon retirement.