This strike should end decorously

The ASHA workers' strike has become a note-worthy event in the political history of united Kerala. In the months since ASHAs started striking in front of secretariat, it has already been discussed thrice in the ongoing assembly session; the issue was also strongly raised in Parliament the other day. The most unfortunate thing is while the governments in the assembly and parliament acknowledge their strike as rightful, no favourable action or announcements are made yet. Blaming each other, the centre and the state instead keep themselves off the issue. ASHA workers are officially recognised social health workers freely appointed in each village as part of the National Rural Health Mission. After this project came into being during the first UPA government ASHAs have become a conduit between health institutions and the public. Alongside proving basic health education, ASHAs also made public health facilities easily accessible to the people. The work of ASHAs in the state is unique against the backdrop of Kerala’s achievements in the health sector. ASHAs were foremost among the frontline fighters during the Covid and Nipah pandemics and also when floods hit the state. In other words, more than a quarter of a lakh ASHAs play a crucial role in keeping Kerala’s health model on top. The fact that these guardians of the health model have been striking for a month now should have embarrassed the central and state governments. But the ruling classes often treat these hapless caregivers with insults. The ASHAs are protesting for a minimum wage. They argue that the current wage is not enough for their work through week no matter day or night, often disregarding their own health. This is easily verifiable for any person. ASHAs do not have any wage in the first place; Classified as volunteers, they receive an honorarium.

The honorarium in Kerala is Rs. 7,000. Adding up the Rs. 3,000 provided by the Center and the incentives received for various jobs, the maximum monthly wage will be Rs. 13,000; in terms of the daily wage, it is just Rs. 433! The minimum daily wage in Kerala is Rs. 700. The protesters are demanding at least that amount. In other words, they are raising a completely reasonable demand of having their honorarium raised to Rs. 21,000 per month. There is another reason for making such a demand: the amount was promised in the Left Front's manifesto for 2021. Paragraph 45 of the manifesto reads: ‘The benefits of all scheme workers including Anganwadi, ASHA workers, resource teachers, cooks, Kudumbashree employees, pre-primary teachers, NHM employees, school social counselors and others will be increased in due course. The minimum wage will be Rs. 700...’ The demand is both the government and the party should fulfill their election promise. When the issue is raised in the assembly, the government shies away citing purely technical reasons. The government's justifications are wholly strange. One of them is that ASHAs are not workers deserving the minimum wage. The Health Minister said that the central government should first declare them as workers; alongside, the government is also pointing to the pending Rs 100 crore from Centre in arrears. Alongside, the government claims that Kerala pays highest honorarium among the states in the country. It means that the payment they receive now is high. These justifications expose the Left government’s reactionary approach towards a democratic struggle. It is also unfortunate that there are concerted efforts by the government and the ruling party to politically ridicule the protesters and even accuse them of terrorism.

There is no point in blaming the state government alone in the issue. When ASHAs were recruited as volunteers during the first UPA government their workload was very less. Their services were required for a maximum of two or three hours a day. This is not the case now. Hence, it is important to treat them workers. While terming the ASHAs' strike fair, the Union Health Minister continues a deliberate silence on the issue. One should not overlook the fact that the honorarium given by the Centre to ASHAs is also very low. Moreover, the Centre’s continuing financial sanction on Opposition states including Kerala should also be raised in the discussions over this strike. The central honorarium for ASHAs comes from the funds allocated by the Centre to the National Health Mission. In the current financial year, the centre has earmarked Rs 37,220 crore for the Health Mission. Of this, Kerala has been allocated mere Rs 960 crore. Less than Rs 60 crore of it can be allocated for honorarium. In per capita terms, it is just Rs. 1800, meaning it is less than the announced honorarium. Hence the central government is a co-accused in this matter.Both governments can resolve the issue. Instead, they are blaming each other for political leverage.