18 March 2013, New Delhi: About 500 women ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) and Mid-Day Meal Workers from across the state of Punjab demonstrated at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi demanding regularisation of their employment and improvement in their service conditions. The women, all members of the ASHA Workers and Facilitators Union and Mid-Day Meal Workers Union, are affiliates of the New Trade Union Initiative. Comrades D Thankappan, President, Ashok Chaudhury, Vice-president and Anuradha Talwar, Secretary of the NTUI joined the protest along with the State Secretary of NTUI-Punjab, Com. Dinesh Prasad, Comrades Amarjit Kaur Kameana (President, Asha Workers and Facilitators Union), Paramjit Kaur Mann (General Secretary, Asha Workers and Facilitators Union), Lakhwinder Kaur (President, Mid-day Meal Workers Union) and other senior leaders of the state, Gurdeep Singh and Ranjit Kaur.

The ASHA workers union is demanding recognition and regularisation of employment within the Health department under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to ensure dignity and security of the workers; immediate payment of wages at par with the Central Government employee in the category of skilled workers and highly skilled workers respectively for ASHA workers and facilitators; and institutionalising a just system of promotion.

A delegation comprising of five members met with Sh. Manoj Jhalani, Joint Secretary (Policy), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and placed their charter of demands. Sh. Jhalani assured the delegation that the Ministry is seriously considering a revision of the honorarium paid to ASHA workers, including the incentives and this shall be a part of the discussion in the forthcoming meeting of NRHM on 3 April 2013. On the issue of delayed payment of incentives, the Ministry is considering adoption of the Orissa state model of payment of incentives. The leadership of the ASHA workers union also raised the issue of arbitrary termination of employment of ASHA workers, providing photo identity cards and extending health benefits to the workers. Sh. Jhalani also assured to put in place an effective grievance redressal mechanism. The Health Department, Punjab was issued a verbal directive to honour these assurances.

Despite several attempts to seek appointment with the Department of Elementary Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, to present the charter of demands for the Mid-day Meal workers, no appointment was provided demonstrating the apathy of the government for this large section of women workers who have critically contributed to the increased primary school enrollment across the country and to the success of the government flagship education programme – the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The Mid-day meal workers have been demanding regularising and minimum wages at par with the Central Government Employees under this programme, including wages for the entire year and bringing a stop to illegal termination of contracts.

D. Thankappan Dinesh Prasad Amarjit Kaur Kameana

President Punjab State Secretary President

NTUI NTUI ASHA Workers and Facilitators Union