Hyderabad: An army of 2.56 lakh “volunteers”, which the Jaganmohan Reddy government recruited soon after coming to power in Andhra Pradesh in 2019, is under the Election Commission’s scrutiny following charges of doubling up as agents of the ruling YSR Congress Party.
The heated electioneering in Andhra Pradesh, which is simultaneously voting for the Lok Sabha and its assembly on 13 May, is seeing much focus on these Grama/Ward Volunteers, a welfare delivery apparatus at the local governance level unique to the state.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) are opposed to the volunteer system from the outset, alleging that the grass-roots network intended for the last-mile connect, door service delivery, assistance and grievance redressal is actually meant to serve the YSRCP’s political interests.
In this election season, some news reports claimed several volunteers were partaking in door-to-door election campaigns of YSRCP candidates.
Since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect last month, around 100 of these village and ward volunteers were reportedly removed from their duties in various districts, following the orders of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena. In addition, a few lower rung government functionaries like village revenue officers (VROs) were also suspended over the same charges.
Acting on a complaint of NGO ‘Citizens for Democracy’, the poll body last week stated that the volunteers are kept out of the election duties and passed orders that pensions or other government welfare handouts should not be disbursed through them till the MCC is in place i.e., first week of June.
YSRCP leaders including Jaganmohan Reddy, general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy have accused the NGO and its secretary N. Ramesh Kumar of operating surreptitiously on behalf of TDP and Naidu.
After a gap of four and half years, social welfare pensioners were seen queuing up, since Wednesday morning, at the village-ward secretariats in the tribal, rural, urban set-ups to collect their monthly handout.
There are about 66 lakh welfare pension beneficiaries — under various categories like old age, widows, physically handicapped, certain artisans, transgenders — availing the “YSR Pension Kanuka (gift)” of Rs 3,000 per month in Andhra Pradesh. Those with chronic ailments like renal disease needing dialysis are given Rs 10,000.
Only 8.6 lakh handicapped, chronically ill will get pensions delivered home by the government staff, according to the government orders after the EC instructions.
On Thursday, Jagan blamed TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu for the travails of lakhs of pensioners, alleging that “31 elderly people died in the last 48 hours while trudging and waiting for their pension at the secretariats in the scorching sun.”
“Chandrababu Naidu could not bear that my government was giving pensions on the first of every month at the beneficiaries’ doorstep through the cheerful volunteers. So, he deployed his man Nimmagadda Ramesh to put pressure on the Election Commission to remove these volunteers and the (successful) pension disbursing mechanism,” Jagan said at the YSRCP’s rally in Naidupeta town. “Shouldn’t we call him a murderer for these deaths?”
Jagan assured that he would bring back the volunteers’ system “once retaining power on 4 June.” “My first signature then would be on that (file),” assured the YSRCP chief.
At a TDP rally at Gopalapuram, near Rajahmundry, Naidu retorted saying that Jagan “is rejoicing, while saying that 31 pensioners died.”
“It is in fact Jagan who killed them. If I had been the CM, I would have ordered that the pensions be distributed through the 1.35 lakh village-ward secretariat employees at beneficiary doorsteps,” he said while promising Rs 4,000 per month pensions if the TDP comes to power.
As the YSRCP started attacking him, Naidu wrote to the CEO and Chief Secretary asking that “pensions be still distributed at doorstep by deploying the village/ward sachivalayam staff and other government employees as deemed fit.”
Who are these volunteers
Initiated in 2019, the volunteer mechanism and sachivalayam set-up is envisaged to ease the delivery of welfare schemes on ground in a transparent manner.
While the eligibility is 10th pass, the age limit for enrolment is 18 to 35 years. After an online application, the selection is done based on a screening by a municipal or mandal level committee.
There are 2.56 lakh village/ward volunteers attached to the 15,425 village/ward sachivalayams (secretariats) across Andhra Pradesh. Hailing from the village or the municipal ward they serve, these volunteers serve as the government access points for all purposes.
These young men and women disburse welfare pensions door to door, spread awareness and identify beneficiaries for government support like Cheyutha, Amma-vodi and also help people get revenue, birth etc certificates without the need to visit offices endlessly.
The volunteers are paid a monthly honorarium of Rs 5,000 and are given a mobile phone/tab with internet to carry out their functions. Each volunteer is given the charge of around 50 households in rural and 100 in urban areas.
The village-ward secretariat and volunteer system had immensely helped the government during the Covid pandemic, assisting the ANMs, ASHA and other health workers on pandemic duties.
Several rounds of house-to-house surveys to monitor symptoms and to check foreign returned individuals were conducted with the help of volunteers for assessing Covid prevalence and identifying susceptible persons of old age, with comorbid conditions.
During one of the virtual conferences with the chief ministers then, PM Narendra Modi reportedly appreciated the village-ward secretariat and volunteer system and opined that other states could emulate the model. The Jagan government had even instituted awards for volunteers to recognise their efforts, dedication.
The opposition, however, accuses Jagan of having raised a private army, alleging that appointments were mostly based on recommendations, or gauging the candidates’ political leanings.
TDP politburo member Varla Ramaiah says YSRCP relies heavily on volunteers for its operations. “Jagan fears that without the involvement of volunteers especially in pension distribution, his party may lose support,” he claims.
Last year, JSP chief Pawan Kalyan made startling charges linking women trafficking networks to volunteers. The actor-turned-politician expressed doubts that surveillance and data gathering by some volunteers is falling into the hands of anti-social elements. Naidu, too, has made similar claims.
But, YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy states Naidu wants to remove the volunteer system in order to bring back the Janmabhoomi committees of the TDP tenure in its place.
In 2019, Jagan scrapped the committees which till then were involved in selection of government schemes’ beneficiaries at villages, wards. The committees allegedly were filled with TDP men and resorted to corruption and atrocities especially against political opponents.
While Jagan has set up a department for volunteers and village/ward secretariats, some MLAs with the YSRCP were reportedly annoyed over their lowered involvement in selection of beneficiaries, disbursal of benefits.
Facing the ire of these volunteers, who in some places offered mass resignations, Naidu is now assuring them “he won’t discontinue the volunteer system”.
(Edited by Tony Rai)