Chennai, June 25 (BPNS)
AIADMK expelled leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O.Panneerselvam( OPS) has urged the Tamil Nadu government to invite the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) who staged a protest on Friday, June 25, 2023, for talks and also to provide them with a consolidated pay of Rs 15000 per month.
The former Chief Minister in a statement on Sunday called upon the Central government to increase the honorarium to the ASHA workers. OPS also wanted the Central government to provide the activity based incentives to them.
It may be noted that the ASHA workers had staged a demonstration on Sunday in Chennai against them not being given the status of workers even as they were working 24 hours in remote areas of the state including hilly areas.
The ASHA workers are getting a fixed honorarium of Rs 2000 and incentives of around Rs 1500 per month from the Central government. However the senior leader said that the ASHA workers have been demanding the Tamil Nadu government to make payment to them.
The former Chief Minister said that health was in the state list in the constitution and said that it was not acceptable in not paying the ASHA workers who were involved in health related work.
The ASHA workers, it may be noted, were demanding a consolidated payment of Rs 24000 per month as per the wages fixed by the seventh pay commission.
OPS said that the demand of the ASHA workers were just and added that a consolidated amount of Rs 3500 per month would not be sufficient even to cover their travel expenses.
It may be noted that some neighbouring states have been paying Rs 10,000 as consolidated payment per month to the ASHA workers.
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