Women’s empowerment, nutrition, and health in India’s rural society depend heavily on ASHA and Anganwadi workers. These are the women who go door-to-door to administer vaccinations, detect malnutrition in children, assist pregnant women in safe delivery, and play a crucial role in reducing maternal and infant mortality. In pandemics like COVID-19, they were used as frontline soldiers, but these days, these women are on the streets, their destinations being Sealdah Railway Station in West Bengal or Fountain Chowk in Karnataka. Their situation is no better: will these women, who care for the nation’s health, not be given the status of workers?
The needs of ASHA and Anganwadi workers are not extraordinary; they receive minimum wages, pensions, gratuities, Class III employee status, and social security. Yet, governments deny them formal labor rights and label them as volunteers or project workers. The nationwide strikes from December 2025 to January 2026 are a public expression of this long-term neglect.
The Anganwadi Scheme and Asha Scheme were launched in 1975 under the ICDS and in 2005 under the National Health Mission. Their aim was to strengthen rural health and nutrition systems through the participation of local women. Initially, a voluntary system was adopted to limit government expenditure, but the reality on the ground is that these women are employed as full-time workers. An Asha worker has to care for 1,000 people, while Anganwadi workers care for 40 children, including pregnant women, distributing nutrition, and maintaining records.
In 2006, the Supreme Court ruled that they were government employees because they did not hold statutory positions, but this decision was ignored. However, a 2022 decision granted Anganwadi workers the right to gratuity under the 2013 ICDS Act. Later, in 2024, the Gujarat High Court recognized them as state employees based on the principle of equality, while the Calcutta High Court directed consideration of the issue of promotion. Despite this, central and state policies remain inconsistent and erratic.
The practice of honorarium is shameful. ASHA workers receive a minimum honorarium of ₹3,500 to ₹6,000, and that too is based on incentives. In Karnataka, the honorarium is fixed at ₹6,000, but it is paid eight to nine months late. Anganwadi supervisors receive an average of ₹15,000. There are no holidays, no transportation allowance, and no proper personal protective equipment. Maternity leave is also limited, and the workload is constantly increasing.
Because the term applies to volunteers, they are outside the scope of the Minimum Wages Act 1948, the Equal Remuneration Act 1976, and four new labor laws. The 45th Indian Labor Conference’s recommendation of ₹26,000 for a minimum wage has not yet been implemented. There are no social security schemes like EPF and ESI. The demand for an increase of ₹1,200 in retirement pension has persisted for years, but no action has been taken on it. The e-Shram card does not provide any eligibility, but only collects data.
Ironically, women, who play a crucial role in reducing malnutrition and infant mortality in the country, are themselves vulnerable. According to the NFHS-5 report, 35 percent of children in India suffer from stunting, and the infant mortality rate is 28 per thousand. ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers have played a crucial role in increasing these figures. More than 500 workers lost their lives during COVID-19, and compensation was announced, but payments were severely delayed. The situation is further exacerbated by mental stress, workload, and 20 percent vacant posts in states like Haryana.
This is a politically recognized problem. Sonia Gandhi raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha on December 16, 2025. Some hints were given in Budget 2026, but no definitive and binding decisions were taken. The unions have made it clear that if their demands are not met, they will launch more agitations.
Solutions must be structural, not half-measures. Workers under the scheme must be granted employee status through labor laws. This requires a minimum wage of ₹26,000, a pension of ₹10,000, and mandatory EPF. The central government should pay at least 50 percent of the honorarium, and states should immediately fill all vacant positions. Over time, maternity leave, permanent workplaces, online training, and recognition of trade unions should be provided. Accountability should be ensured at the local level through Panchayati Raj.
ASHA and Anganwadi workers are not mere figureheads in programs; they are the real hope of millions of families. This distinction between volunteering and working is a blatant injustice. In the 77th year of the Republic, when India claims to be a global leader, the issue of respecting these women is not a question of policy, but a constitutional question of morality.
These protests are a message: justice delayed is revolution.
ASHA and Anganwadi workers are not supplements to any scheme, but rather the backbone of India’s public health system. Denying them labor rights by labeling them as volunteers is an affront to social justice and constitutional equality. Women, who are on the front lines of saving the country from epidemics, malnutrition, and maternal mortality, are themselves vulnerable in the current situation. These protests indicate that time is running out. If the republic is to be strengthened, these women must be afforded respect, security, and rights. Justice may be delayed, but it cannot be avoided.
ASHA and Anganwadi workers are not contributing to any programs, but they are the backbone of India’s public health sector. Denying them labor rights by calling them volunteers is an affront to social justice and constitutional equality. The women who worked to save the country from epidemics, malnutrition, and maternal mortality are themselves vulnerable today. These protests are a sign that time is running out. If the republic is to be strengthened, these women must receive rights, security, and respect. Justice may be delayed, but it cannot be avoided.
