Welcoming the ₹3,000 honorarium hike announced for ASHA workers, the Kerala Pradesh ASHA Workers Congress, affiliated to Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), held a celebratory march in Thrissur on Wednesday, thanking the UDF government for the decision.

The march, taken out from the INTUC district committee office through Swaraj Round to the Arogya Keralam office, was followed by a meeting inaugurated by INTUC district vice-president K.N. Narayanan.

“The government has given hope not just to ASHA workers, but to all skilled workers,” Mr. Narayanan said. He welcomed the decision to increase wages in the very first Cabinet meeting and praised the government’s assurance to consider pension benefits for retiring ASHA workers.

He also lauded the move to improve benefits for other sections such as anganwadi workers, cooking staff and ayas, and the decision to create a separate department for senior citizens, calling them progressive steps.

The meeting, presided over by district president Shakunthala Sajeev.