Women Health Volunteers of ‘Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam’ Scheme on Monday appealed to Sivaganga Collector P. Akash to disburse three months’ pending salary to them.

In a petition submitted to the Collector, the volunteers said 13,225 employees were working in ’Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam’ Scheme across Tamil Nadu. In Sivaganga district alone, 285 volunteers were employed, they said.

They visited the homes of the elderly people and the persons with disabilities to check their blood pressure and sugar level, and distribute medical kits.

Working under the Health Department, they were being paid a monthly salary of ₹5,500 through the Women’s Development Department. But the salary had not been paid for three months to those working in rural areas, and for two months to those working in urban areas.

Nirmala Devi, State vice-president of Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam Wage Earners Association, said, “They initially told us that the work would only last for two hours. However, they are currently involving us in various tasks.”

As a result, the volunteers were in a situation where they had to work for more than eight hours.

“In March, ahead of the elections, the then Health Minister Ma. Subramanian announced that a salary hike would be given starting May 1,” she claimed.

But the volunteers had not provided the salary hike as announced. Further, they had also stopped the regular salary for the volunteers.

“Because of this, we are struggling even to run our households. Since we work under the Health Department but receive our salaries through the Women’s Development Department, this confusion arises,” Ms. Niramala Devi noted.

“Action should be taken to increase the salary to ₹15,000 and disburse it to us every month through the Health Department,” she added.