Members of Telangana ASHA commerce union gathered at Dharna Chowk in Indira Park. “chalo hyderabad” Saturday demo (March 28, 2026) | Picture credit score: RAMAKRISHNA G
The previous month has seen protests by Accredited Social Well being Activists (ASHA) employees in Hyderabad and lots of different components of Telangana, with the agitation escalating into sit-ins, roadblocks and clashes with police. The protests heart on long-standing calls for, together with fastened month-to-month salaries and formal recognition as employees throughout the public well being system.
Who’re ASHA workers and what do they do?
ASHAs kind the spine of India’s group well being system. There are over 28,000 ASHA employees in Telangana state. They’re answerable for a variety of companies, together with maternal and youngster well being, immunization, illness surveillance, well being consciousness campaigns, and liaison between group and authorities well being companies.
How a lot are they being paid now?
At the moment, ASHA employees don’t obtain a hard and fast wage. P. Jayalakshmi, president of Telangana ASHA Staff Affiliation, stated that the month-to-month wage of the employees is round ₹9,900, however this quantity just isn’t assured. “That is incentive-based and never fastened. Relying on a wide range of components, funds can fluctuate. Funds constraints and administrative points can have an effect on funds at any time,” she stated. This lack of predictability is likely one of the core points driving the protests.
What are the principle calls for?
The principle demand is the introduction of a hard and fast wage of 18,000 ₹8,000 monthly. Jayalakshmi stated the request had been pending for years. “We’ve been combating for our rights ever because the Congress authorities was elected to energy right here. Even within the earlier Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) authorities, we demanded fastened wages. If not Rs 18,000 then at the least the minimal wage must be Rs 15,000,” she stated.
Members of Telangana ASHA commerce union gathered at Dharna Chowk in Indira Park for the ‘Chalo Hyderabad’ demonstration on Saturday (March 28, 2026). Picture credit score: RAMAKRISHNA G
How did the protests unfold?
The present section of the protests started on February 23, when ASHA employees demonstrated close to the workplace of the Secretary of Well being and Household Welfare in Kothi, Hyderabad. Over the following few weeks, the unrest escalated additional. The employees staged sustained protests for greater than two weeks, together with holding sit-ins for 48 hours in entrance of collectors throughout the state.
Why do ASHA employees say the system is unfair?
The principle concern is the mismatch between workload and compensation. ASHAs are anticipated to be on the subcenter from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., however typically additionally conduct in depth fieldwork past these hours. “We work day and night time, however we’re nonetheless handled as volunteers,” stated R. Neela Devi, normal secretary of the affiliation. She added that their obligations have elevated over time, together with analysis, implementing authorities applications and gathering well being information, however their earnings has not saved up.
What are your different requests?
They’re looking for cost of a month-to-month allowance of ₹1,500 to cowl work-related bills, together with clearing of excellent dues together with six months of PF and ESI contributions from 2021 and all arrears from 2022 to 2025. It calls for that ASHA employees be introduced below formal labor safety and acknowledged as a part of the Nationwide Well being Mission (NHM) workforce.
The affiliation additionally referred to as for elevated staffing, saying at the least 50 ASHA employees must be appointed for each 50,000 folks. Different calls for embody free medical care and insurance coverage for employees and their households, parity with auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) and first well being heart (PHC) workers, severance pay of Rs 500,000 together with pension, and provision of 20 days of informal depart.
