West Bengal: ASHA workers protest at Sealdah Railway Station, demanding a salary hike

During the protest, an ASHA worker told ANI, "We are demanding a fixed salary of Rs 15,000 per month as compared to Rs 5,000 only. We will continue our protest until our demand is met." The demonstrators are scheduled to continue their protest at Swasthya Bhawan later in the day. During the Sealdah protest, workers clashed with security barricades as they voiced their demands, while police tried to prevent the demonstrators from advancing.

This is the second major protest by ASHA workers in West Bengal this month. On January 7, they had staged a demonstration in front of the Swasthya Bhawan in Salt Lake, demanding a hike in allowances.

The workers highlighted that the current honorarium of Rs 5,000 is insufficient to run their households and urged the government to ensure a fixed monthly salary of Rs 15,000. ASHA workers play a critical role in public health delivery, including immunisation, maternal health, family welfare, and community mobilisation, yet remain underpaid and overburdened.

Earlier during the Winter Session of Parliament in December 2025, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi raised concerns over the remuneration of ASHA and Anganwadi workers across the country. Speaking during Zero Hour, she urged the government to ensure "timely remuneration" and to double the Centre's contribution for these frontline workers.

She said, "These initiatives are intended as pathways to women's empowerment. However, despite their vital contribution to public service delivery, these women workers are overburdened and underpaid. Across the country, ASHA workers undertake immunisation, mobilisation, maternal health, and family welfare, yet they remain volunteers with low honorarium and limited social security."

ASHA workers in West Bengal have repeatedly demanded that their efforts be recognised with adequate fixed salaries and social security. (ANI)