Srinagar, Feb 3: Scores of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers on Tuesday staged a protest in Srinagar, demanding formal recognition as ASHA workers, implementation of the Minimum Wages Act, and an increase in what they termed a meagre honorarium.

Raising slogans and holding placards, the protesters said they play a vital role in the healthcare system but continue to be denied fair wages and due recognition despite repeated assurances by the authorities.

Addressing the protesters, ASHA Workers Union president Shaheena Akhtar said the workers were seeking regularisation of their status and legal protection under the Minimum Wages Act. She said the current honorarium was inadequate to meet even basic household needs.

Akhtar said ASHA workers are actively involved in vaccination drives, maternal and child healthcare, disease surveillance and other public health programmes, yet their financial condition remains precarious. She added that years of neglect had forced the workers to take to the streets.

The protesters said rising living costs had made survival difficult on existing payments and urged the government to announce a substantial hike in wages along with social security benefits.

They warned that the agitation would be intensified if their demands were not addressed soon, while appealing for dialogue to resolve the issue without further delay.