UDP asks govt to release ASHA workers’ pending dues

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 23, 2020

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has urged the state government to provide personal protection equipments (PPEs) to ASHA workers and to release their pending dues.

In a letter to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday, assistant general secretary of UDP East Khasi Hills, Egenstar Kurkalang said, “I urged upon you to consider this as a serious matter that the government needs to make necessary arrangement for providing required materials (PPEs to ASHA) for house visit/health survey.”

He said the government has also assigned duty to the ASHA workers to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic but unfortunately, they were not provided with self-protection material. 

According to him, the ASHA workers are equipped only with a mask, gloves and a hand sanitizer.

On the other hand, Kurkalang alleged that there has been irregularity in the system of releasing their monthly honorarium at Rs 2,000 as fixed by the central government.

“Some of them are recieving Rs 800, Rs 1000, Rs 1200, Rs 1400, Rs 1600, and Rs 1800. This appear that there are differences amongst Districts,CHCs,PHCs etc. some out of their benefits/incentives/entitlements, the government couldn’t release since 2012 till date, which consequently caused them a great financial hardships and mental agony,” he said.

He urged the chief minister to intervene into the matter and ensure their pending dues are immediately released