Asha karmi workers demand government employee status

Bhubaneswar, Aug 01 (UNI) Demanding government employee status, thousands of 'Asha karmis' today took to the street and demonstrated before the Assembly here.

Under the aegis of the Orissa Rajya Asha Karmi Sanghi(ORAKS), women workers, recruited under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), blocked the busy Mahatma Gandhi Marg for several hours in support of their demands.

Nearly 34,251 'Asha karmis' were recruited under the NRHM scheme by the state government to provide necessary care to pregnant women and infants.

ORAKS president Bhalentina Mayati and general secretary Mamata Das urged the government to consider their seven point charter of demands which include government employee status, enhancement of monthly salary, supply of special kits,adequate protection in the field and issue of identity card.

Later an ORAKS delegation submitted memoranda to the Governor, the chief minister and the health minister urging them to consider their demands sympathetically.

UNI DP PL RN1458