Bhubaneswar: A large number of ASHA workers and AYUSH students from across Odisha staged separate demonstrations in Bhubaneswar on Monday seeking immediate steps by the government to fulfil their demands.
While scores of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) staged a protest at Lower PMG to press for their demands, including job regularisation and pay hike, AYUSH students sought quick steps for recruitment to fill vacant posts.
Accusing the state government of being apathetic towards their needs, the agitating ASHAs demanded among other things regularisation of jobs, monthly salary hike to Rs 26,000, Rs 10,000 pension, and Rs 8 lakh retirement benefits.
The protesters alleged that despite repeated requests, the government has turned a deaf ear to their demands. Members of the Odisha Ashakarmi Association threatened to boycott the next elections if their demands are not met.
Alleging that a bureaucrat is visiting districts to strengthen the poll prospects of the ruling BJD by wooing SHG women, they lamented that ASHAs are being neglected. ASHAs have been working for a paltry salary of Rs 4000 for years because of government apathy, they said, accusing the government of exploiting them.
Similar protest was held by students pursuing Ayurvedic and Homoeopathy courses from different government colleges in the state.
“When doctors are taking to the streets, it speaks volumes of the step-motherly attitude of the state government,” said an AYUSH student during the protest in the state capital.
The All Odisha Ayush Students’ Association (AOASA), which was jointly formed by the members of the Joint Association of Homoeopathic Medical Students’ Association (HMSA) and Ayurvedic Medical Students Association (AMSA), resumed their stir after a brief pause as their demands were not met.
The agitating students of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) alleged that no new appointments were made for the last 21 years.
Though the government has appointed over 1,000 new allopathic doctors, no appointments of the Ayurveda and Homoeopathy doctors have been made, they claimed.
They also demanded necessary steps to open at least 500 government homoeopathic dispensaries and government ayurvedic dispensaries (each) this year and 30 district AYUSH hospitals to propagate the usefulness of the medicine and create new posts for ayurveda and homoeopathy graduates.
The protesters said that the AYUSH students will intensify the protests to get a written assurance from the government over their demand.
