Thiruvananthapuram: The protest by Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers has sparked a heated debate between the Centre and state governments over the provision of funds for disbursing incentives. Finance Minister KN Balagopal argued that payments to ASHA workers were disrupted after the Central Government stopped funding. Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, the minister said that the Centre had yet to release Rs 100 crore in pending payments.

He added that Kerala had raised this issue in the pre-budget meetings convened by the Union Finance Minister over the last two years. He also appealed to the Centre to increase the honorarium for ASHA workers.

Meanwhile, ASHA workers have announced plans to intensify the protest on March 8, International Women’s Day. More women are expected to join the protest in front of the state secretariat on the occasion of Women’s Day. The indefinite strike will enter its 25th day on March 6.

Over 200 women from various districts are participating in the indefinite protest. According to the protesters, over 26,000 ASHA workers in Kerala are waiting for the payment of at least two months' honorarium of Rs 7000 each and three months' incentives of around Rs 5000 each. The key demands of the protest are to increase the honorarium to Rs 21,000, considering the workload, and ensure a retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh to the workers.

Currently, this group of workers has no retirement age. ASHA workers are also demanding the government fix their working hours, as they are forced to work more than 12 hours per day.