Rangat, April 3: A meeting of the ASHA Workers was held at Rangat, Middle Andaman recently in which various problems and issues relating to the honorarium and other service benefits of ASHA Workers were discussed. The meeting decided to form a Union in the name and style “Andaman & Nicobar ASHA Workers Union”.  

In a resolution adopted in the meeting, the newly formed Union observed that at present a paltry amount of two thousand rupees is being paid to the ASHA Workers in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and demanded that ASHA workers be paid the minimum wages as applicable to other workers in the islands. The meeting further demanded that till a decision on extending the minimum wages is taken by the Govt of India, the monthly honorarium of ASHA workers be enhanced to ten thousand rupees per month as has been done in other States and Union Territories.  

Through another resolution, the meeting urged the Govt of India and A & N Administration to extend the leave benefits to the ASHA Workers as, such benefits are already extended to contract and part-time workers in the islands. The meeting also demanded that the benefit of Bonus and EPF should also be extended to the ASHA workers.   

Shri B. Chandrachoodan, General Secretary, Shri SP Kalairajan, Shri PK Khalid and Smt Shipra Bala, Secretaries of CITU State Committee addressed the ASHA workers.