AIDS prevention workers seek hike

BENGALURU: They provide healing touch to those shunned and stigmatized by society only to be denied, in return, even subsistence wages. Lack of basic facilities and adequate remuneration has pushed contract employees of the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) to strike their work indefinitely. The protest which gan from November began from November 20 at Freedom Park aims to highlight their woes and need to give them salary hike and job regularization.
“We deal with not only critical patients, but also those socially stigmatized. If the government does not pay us well and regularize our job, how is it possible for us to toil? We don't get provident fund, adequate maternity leave and have no job security . We will continue with our protest till the department meets our demands,“ Sunitha Muthanna, district superin tendent, KSAPS, said.
Kattimani P, state president of KSAPS, said: “Over 2,300 contract workers have not been paid their salaries for nine months. Instead of Rs 117 crore, the Centre allocated only Rs 77 crore for KSAPS.The state government, which has to allocate the remaining amount, is least bothered. None of our centres should be shut down due to poor funding,“ he added.
“While councillors under the anti-tobacco programme start their job with an annual salary of Rs 25,000, why KSAPS workers are paid only Rs 13,000?“ asked Prabhudev BM, a contract worker.
Although health minister UT Khader visited the protesters on Monday and called for a meeting with the project director of the health and family welfare department, the date is yet to be fixed.