ASHA workers protest in Silchar; call for hike in salary, government quarters 

The All Assam Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Association, on Friday, staged a protest in front of Cachar deputy commissioner’s office in Silchar seeking fulfillment of various demands including recognition to ASHA workers as permanent government employees, hike in salary and provision of government quarters among others.

ASHA workers in huge numbers converged in front of the deputy commissioner’s office around 12:10 pm this afternoon and raised slogans in unison to voice their demands. Later, they submitted a memorandum to Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (through Cachar deputy commissioner S. Lakshmanan) over the issue.

The demands stated in the memorandum include – recognition to ASHA workers as permanent government employees, issue of appointment letters along with provision of PF and ESI, hike in salary, distribution of medicines among ASHA workers, provision of incentives per month, allotment of government quarters and enlistment as BPL members.

The ASHA workers urged the government to initiate necessary steps in this regard and further threatened of intensifying protests if their demands are not fulfilled soon.

Among the association members, Atarjan Begum Mazumder and Haidar Hussain Choudhury spoke over the issue and shared their views and perspectives seeking intervention of the government over the matter.