New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) A war of words erupted in the Rajya Sabha between Congress and CPI(M) MPs from Kerala over the strike by ASHA workers in that state demanding a hike in honorarium and post-retirement benefits.

Participating in a discussion on the working of the Health Ministry, Congress MP Jebi Mather mentioned the ASHA workers' strike and alleged that neither the CPI(M)-led Left Front in Kerala nor the Union government were paying attention to their demands.

"Around 27,000 ASHA workers have been on indefinite strike for the past 37 days on the steps of the (Kerala) secretariat... Now they have announced an indefinite hunger strike from the day after tomorrow... Neither the government of Kerala nor the Centre has listened to their concerns," she said.

Informing the House that ASHA workers in Kerala get an honorarium of Rs 7,000 per month, the Congress MP claimed that even this "meagre" amount is delayed. "Can a family survive on Rs 233 a day?" she posed.

As soon as Mather concluded her speech, CPI(M) MP John Brittas raised a point of order and said Kerala provides the highest honorarium to ASHA workers.

"Is it not a fact that Kerala gives the highest honorarium for ASHA workers?" he asked rhetorically and accused the Congress of colluding with the BJP to corner the Left Front government in Kerala.

"The Congress is hand in glove with BJP in Kerala... Will they have the guts to take on the BJP? the CPI(M) MP asked.

IUML MP Abdul Wahab, who stood up to speak next, also targeted the Left Front government in Kerala.

"These people start making points of order when we are telling the truth about the Kerala government. We don't know who is right or wrong. Brittas is saying the Centre is responsible and we are saying both the Centre and the state are responsible," he said.

Wahab also demanded that an AIIMS be set up in Kerala and sought an increase in MBBS seats in the country.

IUML is a part of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the state.

Several ASHA workers have been protesting in front of the state secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram for over a month seeking post-retirement benefits and a hike in their honorarium. Raising similar demands, a section of Anganwadi workers also began an indefinite protest outside the secretariat on Tuesday.

According to the CPI(M)-led Left government in Kerala, it has not received any cash grant from the Centre under the National Health Mission (NHM) for 2023-24 for payment towards various Centre-sponsored schemes, including for ASHA workers.

The Union government has, however, rejected the claim and contended that it has given what was due, but the utilisation certificate has not come from Kerala. It said once the certificate comes, the requisite amounts would be given to the ASHA workers and the state.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda had also announced in Parliament that the Mission Steering Group of NHM has decided to raise the incentives for ASHA workers.

Participating in the debate on the workings of the Health Ministry, Nadimul Haque of the Trinamool Congress urged the Union government to remove GST on life and health insurance premiums. He also said that under the Mamata Banerjee government, the number of beds in hospitals has been doubled in West Bengal.

Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan raised concerns over the situation of maternal health, elderly care, and mental health.

"How can we claim progress in medical facilities when mothers bleed to death in transit and children starve? Our infant mortality is higher than countries like Sri Lanka and China and we also rank the highest in wasted and stunted children under five years," she said.

Bachchan also expressed concern over the situation of organ donations and the long waiting list.

Commenting on mental health awareness, she said, "We talk about physical health but we don't pay attention to mental ailments. India allocates less than one per cent of its total health budget to mental health." PTI AO AO NSD NSD