Mysuru: Urging the State Government to pay them their pending honorarium, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA workers) took out a protest march in the city yesterday.

Hundreds of workers, under the banner of All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), took out a procession from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple to the Deputy Commissioner’s office here.

The workers said that they have to perform 32 duties assigned by the Government every month. “Besides, we are deputed to conduct surveys but the Government offers only Rs. 75 to Rs. 300 honorarium for additional work.

The State Government is yet to pay the honorarium for the surveys conducted in the past. We have to travel a long distance at our own expense to gather documents and information as part of the survey,” they said.

They complained that the Government does not pay them the travel and dearness allowance for workshops organised for them. “The State Government has allocated Rs. 140 crore, while the Union Government has provided Rs. 100 crore but the Government has failed to pay monthly honorarium of Rs. 3,750. Though the Government has established ‘Asha Nidhi’ to pay honorarium to the workers, they have not received the money for the past three months,” they stated.

The protesters urged the Government to provide two pairs of uniform in a year. District unit President P.S. Sandya led the march.