The Kerala ASHA Health Workers’ Association (KAHWA) has appealed to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking her intervention to settle their eight-month-long agitation demanding fair wages.
In their letter to the President, the KAHWA said that the current honorarium received by ASHAs, of ₹233 a day, was below the subsistence level and that their demand to enhance this to ₹700 a day was falling on deaf ears even though this was just the official minimum wages in the State.
It also pointed out that ASHAs, who were the front-line health workers, received no benefits at the time of retirement, at 62 years. They were seeking a one-time retirement benefit of ₹5 lakh and pension benefits also.
The KAHWA said that the collective consciousness of civil society was with the struggling ASHAs. Though they had represented their demands several times before authorities, from the National Health Mission authorities to the Chief Minister of Kerala, nothing was being done to improve the plight of ASHAs.
The KAHWA appealed to the President to intervene on the behalf of the ASHAs so that an amicable settlement to their agitation for fair wages can be reached.
Published – October 21, 2025 11:17 pm IST
