Kakinada: Asha workers stage dharna

Kakinada: Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers staged a dharna in front of the District Collectorate here on Thursday. The protest saw members from the Voluntary and Community Health Workers' Union and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) come together demanding the government to provide Rs 50 lakh insurance on par with the government employees.

CITU leader G Baby Rani alleged that the government is not providing the protection equipment such as masks, gloves and sanitizer. She said that four Asha workers died in the past two months. But the government has not yet provided financial assistance to them. She said that it was unfair that the government removed their names in housing and other social welfare schemes. She said if the government recognized Asha workers as government employees and given adequate salary facilities, there is no need to implement the schemes.