Right to Dignity: Ensuring Equitable Pay and Statutory Status for ASHA Workers
This article advocates for the rights of ASHA and Anganwadi workers, who are central to India's social welfare schemes but lack permanent employee status. Despite recommendations for job regularization and minimum wages at the 45th Labour Conference, successive governments have failed to implement them. The article argues that the Centre must legally reclassify these 'volunteers' as statutory employees under the Code on Social Security. Ensuring equitable pay and social security is essential to grant these workers their rightful dignity and recognize their critical contribution to public health and child development.
Key Points
- ASHA and Anganwadi workers are currently classified as 'volunteers' or 'scheme workers,' denying them labor law protections.
- The 45th Labour Conference recommended minimum wages, pension, and gratuity for these workers.
- The State of Karnataka vs Ameerbi (1996) case initially excluded them from the category of government employees.
- Reclassification under the Code on Social Security is proposed to ensure minimum wages and pension coverage.
Exam Facts
- 45th Labour Conference
- Code on Social Security
- Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)
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