The Kerala government has issued an order increasing the honorarium for ASHA workers by Rs 1000 to Rs 8000. With this, the workers have ended their 266-day-long protest at the Secretariat.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has released orders increasing the monthly honorarium for ASHA workers to Rs 8,000, effective from November 1. The decision comes after a grueling 266-day protest by the workers outside the Secretariat, which concluded following the announcement. The Rs 1,000 hike will benefit 26,125 ASHA workers across the state and is expected to cost the exchequer approximately Rs 250 crore annually. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also assured that all pending arrears will be cleared. Following the government’s decision, ASHA workers announced an end to their round-the-clock demonstration at the Secretariat. However, they have made it clear that their struggle will continue at the district level until their full demands, a monthly honorarium of Rs 21,000 and a retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh, are met.
Partial Victory, Continued Struggle
ASHA Workers Association General Secretary MA Bindu told media persons that while the protest at the Secretariat will end, the fight for their remaining demands will persist through district-level campaigns. “The Chief Minister’s recent announcement proves what we have been saying from the beginning: that it is the state government’s responsibility to pay the honorarium. As our protest reaches its 266th day, we have achieved most of the demands we raised,” Bindu had stated. She highlighted several key victories achieved through the prolonged agitation. “When we began the strike, five months of honorarium payments were pending. Today, salaries are being paid regularly every month,” she noted.
The state government has withdrawn controversial criteria for the honorarium distribution and rescinded an order mandating the retirement of ASHA workers at age 62, both of which were critical demands of the protesters. “We also insisted that the definition of our service be clearly stated so that no additional workload is imposed beyond that, and a circular was issued accordingly,” Bindu explained. The workers also succeeded in pressuring the central government. Union Minister Suresh Gopi, along with opposition MPs and MLAs, visited the protest site and extended support. “The Centre approved a fixed incentive of Rs 1,500 and a retirement benefit of Rs 50,000 for ASHA workers completing ten years of service,” she added.
What Next?
A massive protest gathering has been scheduled for February 10, 2026, in Thiruvananthapuram, marking one year since the strike began. “Though the permanent protest centre at the Secretariat will be wound up, our agitation for justice will continue strongly across Kerala,” Bindu said The workers have also questioned what they describe as the government’s “double standards” toward grassroots workers and rights-based struggles, signaling that their movement for fair compensation and dignified retirement benefits is far from over. ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers serve as crucial links between communities and the healthcare system, performing vital tasks including health surveys, maternal care support, immunization drives, and disease surveillance across Kerala..