KMC health workers protest at Agnimitra Paul's car over ₹303/day wage in Kolkata
Synopsis
Temporary KMC health workers earning just ₹303 a day surrounded Minister Agnimitra Paul's car in Kolkata demanding a pay hike — on the very day she was leading the city's anti-dengue drive. Paul promised to try, but linked any decision to the state treasury's condition, leaving workers without a firm commitment.
Key Takeaways
Temporary KMC health workers protested around Minister Agnimitra Paul's car in Chitpur, north Kolkata on 21 September 2026 .
Workers currently earn ₹303 per day ; they demanded a salary increase.
Paul acknowledged the low wages and said the government 'will try to increase' them, but cited state fiscal constraints and debt left by the previous government.
She warned of heavy fines and confiscation of construction materials left on roadsides that create dengue breeding grounds.
Kolkata recorded 585 dengue cases last year and 539 so far this year; the administration's target is zero cases .
Temporary health workers of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) staged a protest around the car of West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul on Monday, 21 September 2026, demanding a salary hike. The demonstration occurred in the Chitpur area of north Kolkata as Paul was concluding her participation in an anti-dengue awareness drive.
How the Protest Unfolded
Minister Paul, who holds the Municipal Affairs and Urban Development portfolio, had joined the anti-dengue campaign in Chitpur in the morning. As she prepared to leave the event, a section of temporary KMC health workers surrounded her vehicle and raised demands for a wage increase. The workers currently earn ₹303 per day, a figure Paul herself acknowledged during the confrontation.
What the Minister Said
Responding to the protesters on the spot, Paul offered a cautious assurance. 'They get only Rs 303 per day. We will try to increase the salary. No one's salary has been stopped. No one's salary will be stopped during this new government's tenure. Rather, it will increase,' she said.
However, she tempered expectations by citing the state's fiscal constraints. 'We will have to take a decision after seeing the state's treasury. The previous government has incurred debts. We are giving women Rs 3,000 per month. There are also many projects currently underway. We will also have to look at the state's treasury before taking a decision in this regard,' Paul added.
Dengue Drive and Public Warning
The protest unfolded on the sidelines of a broader civic push against dengue in Kolkata. Paul urged residents to prevent stagnant water near homes and construction sites, warning that building materials left on roadsides can collect water and become breeding grounds for dengue mosquitoes. She made clear that non-compliance would invite heavy fines and, if necessary, confiscation of materials.
On the dengue situation, Paul disclosed that 585 cases were recorded in Kolkata in the previous year, while the current year has already seen 539 cases so far. She stated the administration's goal is to bring that number down to zero, emphasising that public cooperation alongside administrative action is essential.
Broader Context
The incident spotlights the precarious employment conditions of temporary civic health workers in West Bengal, who serve on the front lines of public health campaigns — including mosquito control and dengue surveillance — yet remain outside the regular pay structure of permanent municipal employees. This is not the first time contractual health staff have raised wage demands in the state; similar protests have punctuated public health drives in previous years. With dengue season intensifying, the timing adds pressure on the state government to respond beyond verbal assurances.
Point of View
Deployed every monsoon for dengue surveillance and vector control, yet compensated at day-labour rates with no security. The irony of workers demanding wage justice from a minister who arrived to lead a public health campaign — which depends entirely on their labour — should not be lost. West Bengal's broader pattern of outsourcing critical health and municipal functions to contractual workers while keeping permanent cadres intact is the real accountability gap here.
NationPress
21 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did KMC health workers protest at Agnimitra Paul's car in Kolkata?
Temporary health workers of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation protested around Minister Agnimitra Paul's car on 21 September 2026, demanding a salary hike. The workers currently earn ₹303 per day and want the state government to increase their wages.
What did Minister Agnimitra Paul say about the salary hike demand?
Paul said she would try to increase the salary and assured workers that no salaries would be stopped under the current government. However, she linked any formal decision to the state treasury's financial condition, citing debts incurred by the previous government.
What is the current daily wage of KMC temporary health workers?
According to Minister Paul's own statement, temporary KMC health workers currently earn ₹303 per day. This figure was central to the workers' demand for a wage revision.
What was the dengue situation in Kolkata that prompted the awareness drive?
Kolkata recorded 585 dengue cases in the previous year. As of 21 September 2026, the city has already reported 539 cases this year. The administration's stated goal is to reduce the case count to zero through active public awareness and vector control.
What action did Agnimitra Paul warn against to contain dengue spread?
Paul warned that construction materials and other items left on roadsides or near houses that allow water to accumulate will attract heavy fines and possible confiscation. She stressed that stagnant water is the primary breeding ground for dengue mosquitoes.
