The All India Trade Union Congress, Manipur State Committee (AITUC-MSC) reiterated their demand to increase scheme workers’ honorarium at Rs 18,000 and recognise them as state employees during a protest held at Irawat Bhawan complex on Saturday.
A release by AITUC-MSC signed by its secretary, A Sharatchandra said that with an objective to raise various demands for scheme workers such as mid-day meal workers, Anganwadi workers and ASHA workers of the country, protests were launched across the country. As a part of it, AITUC-MSC also conducted a protest meeting at Irawat Bhawan complex.
ASHA workers are presently working as frontline workers during this pandemic risking their lives but they are receiving an honorarium of just Rs 2,000. The union appreciated for giving them some support from various other sections of the society recognising their service. However, it would be grateful if the state government had taken up some provision for the welfare of ASHA workers, it added.
It continued that the mid-day meal workers have been given honorarium for only 10 months, which is just Rs 1,000 per month. It is unfortunate that they are still asked to work for a year. The state government should consider incentives or honorarium for such other scheme workers.
Other states of India have earmarked their budget for such scheme workers on top of the amount sanctioned by the Centre and the states have already increased the honorarium for the scheme workers. The state government should also adopt such provision and increase the honorarium of scheme workers at least upto Rs 18,000 and recognise them as state employees. The union will launch various agitations if the demand is not materialised, it added.
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