Bagalkot ASHA workers protest for higher honorarium

Bagalkot ASHA workers staged a protest in front of the District Administration Building in Navanagar, Bagalkot, on Friday, demanding that the government fulfil their long-pending demands, including an increase in honorarium and timely payment of incentives. The protest was organised under the leadership of the Karnataka State Samyukta ASHA Workers' Association. The workers raised slogans against the government and expressed dissatisfaction over the problems they face while carrying out their duties in rural and urban areas. ASHA workers play a vital role in delivering public healthcare services, working at the grassroots level to support health programmes and assist communities. However, the association said they continued to face several difficulties despite their contribution to the healthcare system. The association demanded an increase in honorarium in line with rising living costs, regular payment of incentives and solutions to technical problems affecting their work. It said the honorarium currently provided to ASHA workers was insufficient to meet their daily expenses. The association also alleged that incentive payments remained pending in several districts and that workers were not always paid adequately for the duties they performed. Delays in payments have added to their financial difficulties, the protesters said. Technical issues, including server failures and other digital problems, were also affecting their ability to complete work-related tasks. The association pointed to the lack of adequate mobile facilities as another challenge faced by workers while carrying out their responsibilities. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, seeking government intervention to resolve their concerns. Their key demands included a minimum monthly honorarium of Rs 15,000, the release of incentives on time every month and the provision of necessary mobile facilities to support their work. The workers urged the authorities to consider their demands and take appropriate steps to improve their working conditions. The protest highlighted their concerns over remuneration, payment delays and the technical difficulties affecting the delivery of healthcare services.