Andhra Pradesh: Jagan asks village, ward volunteers to become ‘star campaigners’ of YSRCP
Jagan also saluted them for their efficient service in delivering welfare benefits of various schemes transparently to the beneficiaries since 2019
Andhra Pradesh chief minister and YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday asked his government’s village and ward secretariat volunteers to become “star campaigners” for the ruling party to bring it back to power for a second consecutive term.
Addressing a huge gathering of over 250,000 village and ward volunteers at Phirangipuram in Guntur district, Jagan described them as the “brand ambassador” of the government and saluted them saying they were his young army that had been extending selfless service with unflinching commitment and delivering welfare benefits of various schemes transparently to the beneficiaries since 2019.
The chief minister gave away Seva Mitra, Seva Ratna and Seva Vajra awards to the best village and ward secretariat volunteers. “Unlike during the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regime where people were forced to pay bribes to the party people for securing monthly social pensions and benefits of other welfare schemes, the volunteers are extending selfless service to the poor despite being paid meagre salaries,” he said.
Comparing the volunteers with Tulasi saplings, he said the volunteer system had revolutionised the delivery mechanism of welfare benefits with a transparent and unbiased way.
“With your cooperation and dedicated service, the government has been able to distribute funds worth ₹255,000 crore through DBT welfare schemes and ₹1,76,000 crore through non-DBT schemes in the last 58 months despite Covid-19 blues and reduced revenues from the Centre,” he said.
He hoped that the volunteers would play a key role in YSRCP’s victory in the forthcoming elections by effectively countering the misleading election promises of TDP and its allies. He asked them to spread the message that a vote for the opposition would wind up the welfare schemes.
“Being my confidants, you have ensured the delivery of welfare benefits at the doorstep of people all these months and have changed the complete scope of village administration. You have also become responsible for the YSRCP victory in all local bodies and by-elections after 2019. I am sure you will pave the way for its victory in the 2024 elections also with your selfless service,” he told them.
Describing the volunteer system as the backbone of the welfare programmes, he said the entire country has been observing its functioning with inspiration. As a token of appreciation, the government was distributing ₹392.05 crore as cash awards to 2,55,464 volunteers for rendering efficient service in extending the benefits of various welfare programmes to the people at their doorstep.
The best selected volunteers were honoured with a certificate, shawl and badge along with a cash prize of ₹15,000, ₹30,000 and ₹45,000 under the Seva Mitra, Seva Ratna and Seva Vajra categories, apart from medals.
Apart from felicitating the meritorious volunteers, the government also awarded special cash prizes of ₹15,000, ₹20,000 and ₹25,000 each at Mandal (or municipality or municipal corporation), constituency and district level respectively to 997 volunteers who have displayed extraordinary talents in collecting the opinion of beneficiaries of the YSR Pension Kanuka, Aasara and others welfare schemes.
One of the volunteers who spoke at the meeting (name not announced) said the volunteers had to face several insults and wild allegations from the opposition parties. “Everytime we were insulted, the chief minister always stood by us. Everytime false allegations were made to malign us, to attack our dignity and self-respect, he was there. Some Opposition parties went to the extent of saying that we were prying on women when their husbands were not around, but the chief minister never left our side. We won’t ever forget how he backed us as his family member,” he said.