Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 25 January 2024
In a crucial meeting convened in the chamber of the Mission Director, UT Health Mission at the Secretariat, Port Blair, today, the demands raised by the Andaman & Nicobar ASHA Workers Union (CITU) took center stage. The meeting, held in the afternoon, saw a delegation led by D. Ayyappan, Vice President, CITU A & N State Committee, engaging in detailed discussions with the Mission Director.
The focal point of the discussion was the paltry honorarium of Rs. 2000 per month being paid to the ASHA Workers in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The Union, represented by Ayyappan, stressed the urgency of raising this amount to Rs. 10,000 per month, aligning it with the compensation received by ASHA Workers in the union territory of Puducherry. Additionally, the Union demanded timely disbursal of various incentives, highlighting that several incentives were not being disbursed to the ASHA Workers.
The Mission Director, displaying patience and attentiveness, listened to the grievances put forth by the delegation. In response, he promptly directed the officials present in the meeting to procure orders issued by various union territories regarding honorarium and incentives for ASHA Workers. He assured the delegation that a comprehensive proposal would be submitted to the National Health Mission in Delhi and the Lt. Governor of A & N Islands, advocating for the implementation of suitable and practicable honorarium and incentive rates in the islands.
Furthermore, the Mission Director issued directives to UT Health Mission officials, instructing them to liaise with Deputy Commissioners, who serve as District Chairpersons of the National Health Mission, to expedite the clearance of pending incentives for ASHA Workers.