NHM Employees, Anganwadi workers, and Asha Workers gather At Azad Maidan to Protest Against the delay in payment of pending arrears and honorariums,demanding the immediate release of dues that have remained unpaid for several months. (Express Photo By Ganesh Shirsekar) (Express Photo By Ganesh Shirsekar)Thousands of Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers and National Health Mission (NHM) employees from across Maharashtra converged at Azad Maidan on Monday to launch a three-day protest, demanding regularisation of services, higher wages and immediate payment of pending salaries.Organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the agitation has drawn around 8,000 workers associated with government welfare schemes, including the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), NHM and PM Poshan programme.The protesters alleged that despite running key health, nutrition and education programmes, they continue to be treated as temporary workers and denied employee benefits.“We are demanding recognition as government employees, social security benefits and timely payment of salaries. Many NHM contractual employees and ASHA workers have not been paid for six months,” said Shubha Shamim, state vice-president of CITU and president of the Anganwadi Employees’ Union. The unions have warned of intensifying their agitation if the state government fails to address their demands before the protest concludes on June 3. (Express Photo By Ganesh Shirsekar)The unions are seeking a minimum monthly wage of Rs 30,000, gratuity, pension and regularisation of contractual staff. NHM employees have also demanded permanent absorption of doctors, nurses and emergency medical staff who have worked on contract for over a decade.The protest comes days after union representatives met Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare and senior officials. While the government reportedly indicated support for some demands, including gratuity and internet facilities at Anganwadi centres, the unions said there was no commitment on regularisation or wage revision.Workers also raised concerns over delayed salary payments. Meena Sunil Mohite, an Anganwadi worker from Dharavi, alleged that the central share of workers’ salaries had not been released for six months.Story continues below this adAlso Read | They ferried pregnant women for Rs 35,000 illegal sex tests. One decoy brought the racket down“Rent payments for many Anganwadi centres are also pending, forcing workers to negotiate with landlords,” she said.Several workers from tribal districts, including Gadchiroli, Nandurbar and Palghar, alleged that they faced pressure to underreport malnutrition data on the Poshan Tracker app to qualify for incentives. The app, developed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, is used to monitor nutrition and health services for women and children.Maharashtra has also raised concerns with the Union Health Ministry over delays in the release of NHM funds, with state officials informing the Centre that pending dues have crossed Rs 1,800 crore over the last two financial years. Officials said the delays were straining public healthcare operations across the state.According to sources, approximately Rs 800-840 crore from 2024-25 remains pending, while in 2025-26, more than Rs 1,058 crore is yet to be released. The issue came up during a meeting held in New Delhi on May 26, where Maharashtra officials presented the state’s annual Project Implementation Plan (PIP) to the Union Health Ministry and flagged the continuing delays in the release of central funds. Under the NHM funding structure, 60 per cent of funds are released by the Centre and 40 per cent by the state government.Story continues below this adCITU national secretary Usha Rani said the issues reflected the condition of scheme workers across the country. “Anganwadi, ASHA and mid-day meal workers are delivering essential welfare services without minimum wages, pension or adequate social security,” she said.The protest comes amid growing concerns over public health funding in Maharashtra. Health sector experts and Jan Arogya Abhiyaan activists have criticised the Rs 32,051 crore allocation for health in the Maharashtra Budget 2026-27, noting that it accounts for just 4.16 per cent of the total state budget, well below the 8 per cent benchmark recommended by the National Health Policy, 2017. They have also raised concerns over reduced funding for ambulances and ASHA workers, warning that continued underinvestment could weaken public healthcare services.According to CITU, nearly 90 per cent of scheme workers are women. The unions have warned of intensifying their agitation if the state government fails to address their demands before the protest concludes on June 3.