BJP-ruled panchayat grants ₹7,000 monthly allowance to ASHA workers
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Kottayam: Amid ongoing protests by Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers in Kerala, a BJP-ruled local body in Kottayam district has announced a monthly allowance of Rs 7,000 for ASHA workers. The decision comes as the protest entered its 46th day, with ASHA workers demanding an increase in their honorarium.
The Muhtholy Grama Panchayat passed this decision as part of its 2025-26 annual budget on Monday. The additional Rs 7,000 is intended to match the honorarium currently paid by the state government to ASHA workers.
The protest, which includes an indefinite hunger strike, intensified after talks with the state government broke down last week. ASHA workers have been rallying outside the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, pushing for a hike in their honorarium. The state government, however, has argued that ASHA is a centrally funded scheme and that any revision of the honorarium will depend on increased contributions from the Centre.
In response to the growing unrest, Muhtholy Grama Panchayat President Ranjithji Meenabhavan said the local body had allocated Rs 12 lakh in the budget specifically for ASHA workers, providing them with an additional Rs 84,000 annually. The Panchayat, which employs 13 ASHA workers, will ensure they receive the extra Rs 7,000 per month, in addition to their existing honorarium and incentives.
Meenabhavan expressed that the decision was made in recognition of the ASHA workers' tireless efforts and sacrifices, especially during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. The move follows similar announcements by Congress-led UDF-ruled local bodies, which have also allocated relief for ASHA workers in their annual budgets.
With PTI inputs