Introduction
ASHA Workers ( Accredited Social Health Activist ) are health workers who work as part of the rural health system in India. This scheme was launched in 2005 under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
ASHA workers are mostly local women. Since they receive service-based incentives, they are considered similar to self-employed workers.
Main Responsibilities:
Provide primary health care: Especially educate the public about the necessary health check-ups, vaccinations, nutrition, etc. for pregnant women and children.
Maternal and Child Health: Helps pregnant women to ensure safe childbirth by guiding them to antenatal (pregnancy care) services.
Disease diagnosis: Detects symptoms of tuberculosis (TB), leprosy, malaria, etc. in the country and reports them to health centers.
Health Education: Educating people on issues such as family planning, clean water, sanitation, and cancer screening.
Wage rate for ASHA workers
ASHA workers get a service-based incentive (performance-based incentive).
They do not receive a monthly salary. Instead, they get a selected reward for each service. Example:
- When registering pregnant women – ₹300
- When ensuring safe delivery – ₹600
- When completing vaccination of children – ₹100
- When delivering medicine to tuberculosis patients at home – ₹100
- When distributing family planning products – ₹150
👉 The remuneration is provided jointly by the Central and state governments.
Training provided to ASHA workers:
They receive an initial training lasting 23 days. Retraining is conducted annually.
The training is provided in basic medicine, health awareness, hazard management, etc., including practical training.
The main reason why ASHA workers often engage in strikes are:
1. Demands for salary hike:
ASHA workers do not receive a monthly salary; instead, they receive a service-based incentive.
The main argument is that it is extremely unfair for them to work without a basic salary despite their immense services in the progressive healthcare sector.
They are also need the same benefits that ordinary workers get, such as daily wages, a flexible incentive system, EPF, and pension.
2. Job stability and welfare schemes:
Despite being an official job, there is no proper legal security.
The government considers ASHA workers as temporary workers. They demand permanent employment and facilities.
3. Increased workload:
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, ASHA workers have been working as frontline warriors.
They have been performing the full range of tasks including vaccination, contact tracing, health screening, quarantine services, etc. — but have not received the proper compensation and consideration.
4. Insecurity:
ASHA workers who go to homes often face humiliation, assault, and gender-based discrimination.
One of the main demands of the strike is the need for preventive training, safety equipment, and support from law enforcement.
In short, the requirements are:
1. Permanent Job
2. Minimum Wage
3. Benefits (EPF, Pension, Insurance)
4. Equal pay, workload control
5. Security assurance
6. Training and professional recognition
Why is this strike so strong?
The feeling that the government has not even considered their needs, despite describing ASHA workers as the frontline warriors of the health system, is giving strength to the strike.
In many states, the strike is going strong against the laziness and injustice of the central and state governments.
Why the Protest is Gaining Momentum:
Governments often praise ASHA workers as "healthcare heroes" but fail to provide adequate compensation or job security.
This contradiction fuels their fight for justice, leading to mass protests across multiple states in India.
Specific protest, Their latest achievement And Goverment Responses
ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers across India have been actively protesting to demand better wages, job security, and improved working conditions. Their persistent efforts have led to significant developments in various states.
Kerala: Withdrawal of Conditional Honorarium Guidelines
In Kerala, ASHA workers initiated a strike that lasted over a month, demanding an increase in their monthly honorarium and retirement benefits. One of their key grievances was the state's requirement that the ₹7,000 honorarium be contingent upon completing 10 specific tasks, each valued at ₹700. On March 17, 2025, after 36 days of continuous protest, the Kerala government conceded to their demands by withdrawing these conditional guidelines, allowing ASHA workers to receive the full ₹7,000 honorarium without task-based conditions.
Karnataka: Indefinite Strike for Fixed Honorarium
In Bengaluru, Karnataka, thousands of ASHA workers commenced an indefinite strike on January 8, 2025, at Freedom Park. Their primary demand was the establishment of a fixed monthly honorarium of ₹15,000, with an additional ₹2,000 for city-based workers to offset rising living costs. Despite nearly a decade of advocacy for fair treatment, their demands had not been met, prompting this extensive protest.
Andhra Pradesh: Protests for Minimum Wages and Retirement Benefits
On November 18, 2024, ASHA workers in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, staged protests highlighting several longstanding issues. They called for recognition as formal workers, payment of minimum wages, provision of retirement benefits, and cessation of tasks unrelated to their primary healthcare duties. The protesters emphasized the need for a retirement age policy and group insurance, noting that previous promises made by the government in February 2024 remained unfulfilled.
Government Responses
The responses from state governments have varied:
Kerala: The government withdrew the conditional guidelines for the honorarium, marking a significant victory for the protesting ASHA workers.
Karnataka: Despite prolonged protests, the state government had not met the demands of the ASHA workers as of January 2025.
Andhra Pradesh: Promises made in early 2024 regarding benefits and policy changes remained unfulfilled as of November 2024, leading to continued dissatisfaction among ASHA workers.
These protests underscore the critical role of ASHA workers in India's healthcare system and their ongoing struggle for fair compensation and recognition.
