Odisha healthcare and welfare workers stage protests over wages and status

Healthcare and welfare workers in Odisha have launched widespread protests to demand improved wages, employment status, and better working conditions.

In Rayagada, over 5,000 Anganwadi workers and helpers, affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, submitted a 10-point charter of demands to the District Collector. Their requests include the provision of high-specification smartphones, stable Wi-Fi, and mobile recharge allowances to manage digital tracking tools like the Poshan Tracker app. They also seek relief from redundant physical record-keeping and issues with facial recognition systems.

Simultaneously, ASHA workers organized by the Odisha Milita ASHA Union held demonstrations in Bhubaneswar and other districts. These workers are seeking formal recognition as government employees, a fixed monthly salary of Rs 28,000, and a monthly pension of at least Rs 10,000. They are also calling for an eight-hour workday with additional pay for extra duties, protesting the current incentive-based system and frequent delays in their monthly remuneration.