Thrissur: Cultural activists, including metropolitan Yuhanon Mor Meletius, K P Kannan, and Sarah Joseph, on Monday welcomed the UDF government's decision to hike the honorarium of ASHAs by Rs 3,000, terming it a ‘good start’.
Positive Reactions from Activists
“Some of the other pronouncements, like reducing the number of escort vehicles of the chief minister, will send out good messages. Similarly, the decision to start a separate department for senior citizens is a welcome move in a state like Kerala, where the proportion of the aged population is increasing drastically,” said Meletius, who is the metropolitan of the Thrissur diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
“The government has made it clear that the ASHA honorarium will be hiked in two phases, and this Rs 3,000 is not a final settlement. Also, the government has taken a very positive attitude towards the demand for granting retirement benefits to ASHAs. But more importantly, these announcements have opened space for a dialogue between the government and ASHAs. The previous regime had been totally negating a dialogue with them and had been looking down upon them contemptuously,” said noted academic and activist J Devika.
Economic and Political Perspectives
Economist Kannan said the fact that the new government has taken up the problems of ASHAs and other sections like anganwadi workers is sending out a message of new politics. “The announced increase in wages is nominal, but the message is very big. Unfortunately, the so-called pro-poor political party-led previous government could not play it wisely,” Kannan said.
Gandhian and writer K Aravindakshan recalled that the decision of UDF leaders like Satheesan to align with the cause of ASHAs was one of the factors which tilted voters against LDF. “It is good that the new government is starting to implement what they had promised prior to the election,” he said.
Concerns Raised
Sarah Joseph said, “The agitation of ASHAs had made an indelible scar on the social conscience of Kerala, and it is certainly refreshing that the new government has recognised the criticality of problems of poor working women,” she said.
Meanwhile, Kerala school workers' association state secretary Sujobi Jose said the hike in wages announced for mid-day meal workers is abysmally low, and the UDF regime is only trying to implement the wage hike announced by the previous LDF government.
