AP CM Y S Jaganmohan Reddy launched the much-ballyhooed Grama Volunteers programme in the official 73rd Independence Day function held in Vijayawada today.
Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy launched the much-ballyhooed Village Volunteers / Grama Volunteers programme in the official 73rd Independence Day function held in Vijayawada today.
The Village Volunteers concept is meant to work as a bridge between the public and the government, and is intended to be one of the steps in implementing Village Secretariats - a promise made by Jagan during his Praja Sankalpa Yatra.
Jagan addressed 1,500 volunteers who were recently recruited from the Krishna and Guntur districts and had come for the inaugural event. Instead of addressing the new recruits first, Jagan changed the programme schedule and requested them to speak first about what they understood about the whole initiative. Several volunteers spoke and gave their opinion, after which he addressed the volunteers.
The Chief Minister said that the Village Volunteers were like a bridge between the people and the government. He said that even after 73 years, some villages still had no independence, and this was intended to change that.
"I saw during my 3,648 km padayatra that there is still under-development and unemployment rampant in many places in the State. The government should ensure that the poor are supported, and this is where the Village Volunteers system comes into place. It should be free of bribes, discrimination, castes, religions and politics, and the Village volunteers must work to win the people's hearts," he said.
"The work of the Village Volunteers is vital especially when it comes to identifying beneficiaries of government schemes and delivering the schemes to their doors. We will launch the ration rice delivery to the doorsteps of the beneficiaries on September 1, from Srikakulam. Every scheme we have mentioned in the manifesto must reach the poor. The benefits of the Navaratnalu should be delivered to every household," he added.
The government has recruited 2,66,796 volunteers in rural and urban wards in just 45 days. Out of the 2,66,796 volunteers, 1,93,421 volunteers are for rural areas and 73,375 are for urban areas. There will be one volunteer for every 50 -100 houses in the urban areas and one for every 35 houses in the village areas.
Of the 2.66 lakh volunteers, 1.33 lakh are women. Candidates from the SC, ST and BC categories have been selected as per reservations.
"Providing four lakh jobs within three months of assuming charge is a record of sorts in the country," Jagan claimed.