ASHA salary hike does not fulfill UDF poll promise, says Balagopal

Former finance minister says while workers demanded increase in monthly honorarium from ₹9,000 to ₹21,000, hike only had effect of ₹3,000

Hours after the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala announced a ₹3,000 hike in the honorarium of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), former finance minister KN Balagopal on Monday slammed the move, saying it failed to fulfill the promises made by the Congress-led front during the assembly election campaign.

In a Facebook post, Mr. Balagopal, CPI(M) MLA, said the UDF had assured the ASHA that their demands would be addressed in the very first meeting of the government if the alliance came to power.

The workers staged a month-long protest outside the Secretariat during the previous LDF government, demanding that their monthly honorarium be increased to ₹21,000 and that a pension of ₹5,000 be introduced.

“However, after assuming power, the measures he took turned out to be a huge disappointment. Only an increase of ₹3,000 was announced,” the Kottarakara MLA wrote, referring to Chief Minister VD Satheesan.

Defense of the LDF

The former minister also defended the record of the previous Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government, saying it had gradually increased the honorarium of ASHA workers over the years.

According to him, during the first Pinarayi Vijayan government, ASHA’s monthly honorarium was ₹1,000, which was increased to ₹9,000 before the second LDF government under him completed its tenure.

Mr. Balagopal further claimed that the Left government has also increased benefits for Anganwadi workers, pre-primary education workers, school cooks and literacy mission workers.

Published – 18 May 2026 20:28 IST