Shillong, Jan 7: ASHA workers under the Meghalaya Asha Workers Union (MAWU) will go on an indefinite strike from Thursday over the non-payment of their honorarium and incentives.
There are around 7000 ASHA workers in the state.
“ASHA workers in the state have not been receiving their payment. Some have been for the last five months, others for seven months,” MAWU president Sony Kharjana said.
Kharjana informed that they met the Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM) on December 15, last year and set a deadline of December 19, to release their payments.
She said that even after the set deadline, their incentives have not been paid uniformly even as the president added that some received Rs. 150 for a few months while others received Rs. 200 and some Rs. 500.
Kharjana said that the ASHA workers are receiving the fixed honorarium given by the state government but the incentives which are supposed to be given by the centre they are not receiving.
Kharjana said that earlier the incentives were paid on time but in the last six-seven months, ASHA workers in some districts did not receive it for the last 10 months.
She said that the ASHA workers were informed about the change in the mode of payment and if the government has the will, it can streamline the system in a month.
