Hyderabad: Despite putting in extra effort to complete the census, surveys, Special Intensive Revision (SIR), and other govt assignments, many ASHA workers and Anganwadi staff, who also serve as Booth Level Officers (BLOs), say they are not being adequately compensated for their work.Several workers alleged that they are still awaiting the Rs 10,000 remuneration promised for the caste survey conducted in 2024.“Every time I ask about my payment, my in-charge says it will be released once the funds are deposited into the official account. We don’t know whether that is true, but the fact remains that despite working for nearly a month on the survey, I have not been paid,” said an ASHA worker with over two decades of service.An Anganwadi teacher serving as a BLO echoed the concern. “I, too, have not received any payment for conducting the caste survey in 2024. I don’t know where the delay is, but we are made to visit hundreds of households and complete surveys without receiving a single rupee,” she said.BLOs also claimed that many of them were not paid for election-related duties.“It’s like we are working 24×7. People call us at all hours seeking information on voter slips, voter mapping, SIR forms, and other election-related matters. Yet, not a single rupee has been credited to our accounts,” another Anganwadi teacher said.Many workers said they are not even aware of the honorarium they are entitled to for carrying out BLO duties or govt assignments such as the census, surveys, and SIR.“Whenever we ask officials about our pending payments, they ask us how much we are supposed to receive. Most of us don’t even know the exact amount. Every department says its work is our top priority, but when it comes to paying us, there is no urgency,” a BLO said.The workers added that their jobs come with increasing responsibilities but little security. They said they continue to work for meagre remuneration while lacking basic benefits such as health cards and insurance.
