AGARTALA, Oct 25 (TIWN): Tripura's ASHA facilitators have shown agitation on Wednesday demanding their recognition as 'facilitators', regular salaries and pay-hike.

Demanding these certain points the ASHA facilitators have met the Health Minister Badal Choudhury in the morning.Before meeting the Minister the agitators told media that the state govt has no sympathy for them, even though they are working day-night and contributing enough to decrease child-death rate of the state.

"In 2007 under NRHM we were appointed as ASHA workers. But in 2011 to guide the ASHA workers, ASHA facilitators were appointed which was picked up from ASHA workers who were Madhyamik Passed or more educated", said ASHA facilitators.

"As per rules we would guide 15 ASHA workers in villages and in town areas 25 ASHA workers. But under AMC there are only 8 ASHA facilitators for 454 ASHAs. Recently NRHM has asked to appoint atleast 15 facilitators to guide 454 AMC's ASHAs. Per month we  visit 20 fields  and many more workers we have to do which are out of list. There are some ASHAs who are uneducated fully. So, we have to help them always. For their salary applications also, we are helping them even with giving their signatures as they can not write. But, when the Ministers are going to various programmes they are failed to identify the difference among green saree ASHAs and Brown / Yellow saree ASHAs. When they address, they only mention ASHA workers but never mention about ASSHA facilitator or helper. We have huge resentment with that", said the ASHA facilitators.

"Moreover, after 5 years every workers are regularized but till day Tripura Govt has not given even Rs. 5 extra than NHM".

"Before few months also ASHA workers salaries increased with 33.33 %. But why our salaries have not been increased ? With all these we are going to meet the Health Minister", the ASHA facilitators said.