As the protest by ASHA workers in front of the Secretariat entered its 36th day and escalated into a blockade, the government has withdrawn the ten guidelines previously set for disbursing their honorarium. This move addresses one of the key demands raised by the ASHA workers. The government issued an order retracting the ten stringent guidelines that had been established for the disbursement of honorariums to ASHA workers.
The ASHA workers had specifically requested the removal of strict guidelines, such as deductions from the honorarium for not attending meetings. They have hailed the government’s decision as a victory for their protest but have also clarified that the protest will not end without an increase in the honorarium.
Bindu, a leader of the protest committee, stated that the blockade in front of the Secretariat will continue until 6 PM today. She welcomed the government’s move to withdraw the honorarium guidelines but emphasized that the protest will persist until decisions are made regarding their primary demands, including honorarium hikes and pensions. She also mentioned that they would explore other forms of protest if necessary.
