Kerala ASHAs meet V D Satheesan, discuss honorarium hike

T'puram: The Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), who staged a prolonged agitation demanding an increase in honorarium, met chief minister-designate V D Satheesan on Saturday. Satheesan had then expressed solidarity with the workers when they staged a prolonged agitation from Feb to Nov 2025 demanding the then state govt to increase the honorarium. The demand was ignored and the agitation went on for 266 days and ended when the Pinarayi Vijayan-led govt sanctioned an increase of Rs 1,000. Satheesan said at that time that increasing the honorarium will be one of the first decisions the UDF govt will take upon taking over. The health workers met Satheesan and expressed wishes on his victory and discussed the need to increase honorarium. ASHAs' leader Mini S said that there was no need to remind him. "He told us that he respects his word and that it will never be forgotten," Mini said. She added that Satheesan promised that the decision will be announced after the first cabinet meeting. Though the quantum of increase was not discussed, the ASHAs hope that the hike will be substantial, said Mini. It appears that UDF discussed the honorarium during their meetings, she added. After 266 days of protest outside the Secretariat demanding Rs 21,000 honorarium and retirement benefits, the workers ended their agitation on Nov 1. The state govt refused to heed their demands, initially maintaining that its share is the highest compared to other states and that Centre should increase its share. But then chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan later announced an increase of Rs 1,000, which pushed the honorarium from Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000, after the agitation went on unabated. The then govt later increased another Rs 2,000 in the budget. However, the hikes fell short of their demands.