IAS/UPSC Coaching Institute  

24 Jan 2026 : Right to dignity

 Editorial 1: ​Right to dignity

Context

Governments must guarantee fair and equal wages for ASHA workers.

 

Introduction

The persistent protests by ASHA and anganwadi workers underscore India’s failure to recognise their indispensable role in public health and welfare delivery. Despite being central to flagship schemes, these workers remain trapped in precarious employment, denied fair wages, social security, and legal recognition, revealing a deep erosion of the social contract.

 

Background of the Protests

  • The ongoing protests by ASHA and anganwadi workers in West Bengal demanding a monthly wage of ₹15,000highlight the long-standing denial of permanent employee status, despite their crucial role in national and State welfare schemes.
  • These workers form the backbone of programmes related to nutrition, health, and social security, yet remain outside formal labour protections.

 

Historical Denial of Worker Status

  • Under the Indira Gandhi government, anganwadi workers were denied formal ‘worker’ status under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), setting a precedent to bypass labour laws.
  • As workloads increased, a national union emerged in 1989, but the State continued to expand welfare schemes without creating permanent government jobs.
  • The classification of these workers as ‘scheme workers’ during the liberalisation period institutionalised insecurity.

 

Judicial and Policy Exclusion

  • The State of Karnataka vs Ameerbi (1996) tribunal ruling excluded anganwadi workers from being treated as government employees.
  • This exclusion persisted even as the right to food was expanded in 2004, increasing dependence on these workers.
  • The ASHA programme, launched in the mid-2000s, followed a similar path, branding workers as ‘activists’ rather than employees.

 

Ignored Recommendations and Budget Cuts

  • In the 2010s, the 45th Labour Conference recommended job regularisation, minimum wages, pensions, and gratuity for ASHA workers.
  • Both UPA and NDA governments failed to implement these recommendations.
  • In 2015, the ICDS budget was slashed, triggering recurring protests as workers struggled to meet basic needs.

 

Centre–State Fiscal Imbalance

  • The Centre froze its contribution to ASHA and anganwadi wages in 2018, forcing workers to bear the brunt of fiscal pressures.
  • With central honoraria stagnating, States were compelled to supplement wages from their own budgets.
  • Wealthier States or those facing strong union pressure managed to provide better pay or benefits, while fiscally weaker States lagged behind, deepening regional inequality.

 

Erosion of the Social Contract

  • Alongside weak protections for gig workers under new labour codes, the State has effectively retreated from its social contract with vulnerable workers.
  • Policy priorities have shifted towards business metrics and fiscal headroom, often at the cost of labour welfare.
  • The continued denial of rightful status to ASHA and anganwadi workers remains knowingly exploitative and unjust.

 

The Way Forward

  • The Centre must legally reclassify these so-called ‘volunteers’ as statutory employees under the Code on Social Security.
  • This reclassification should guarantee minimum wages, pension coverage, and social security.
  • Both the Centre and States must bridge fiscal gaps to ensure equitable pay across regions.
  • Only through institutionalised protections can India restore dignity, fairness, and justice to these essential workers.

 

Conclusion

Continued denial of statutory status to ASHA and anganwadi workers is both unjust and exploitative. The Centre and States must ensure legal reclassification, minimum wages, and pension coverage under the Code on Social Security. Only through institutionalised protections can India uphold dignity, equity, and labour justice for its essential workforce.