India, March 10 -- The ongoing indefinite strike by ASHA workers in Kerala was raised in the Lok Sabha by MPs from the state on Monday, who called for better wages and job security for the community health workers.

Congress MPs KC Venugopal, Shashi Tharoor, and VK Sreekandan brought up the issue during the Zero Hour, urging immediate government action.

Tharoor said ASHA workers are the "unsung heroes" of India's healthcare system, especially for their contributions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Despite working 12-14 hours a day, they are still classified as volunteers and receive only meagre honorariums. In Kerala, they earn just Rs.7,000 per month, and even this is not paid on time. There is a systemic undervaluation of community hea...