There is no GO regarding extending the services of volunteers by the previous government, said Minister Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy.
He clarified that no volunteers were working right now. The previous government gave extension to them only till August 2023. If the volunteers were still working, we would have regularised them, said the minister.
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Despite this, the opposition is shedding crocodile tears when it comes to the issue of volunteers, the minister said.
However, it has to be recollected that the alliance government promised to continue with the volunteer system and promised to hike their pay from Rs 5000 given by Jagan government to Rs 10,000.
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They also promised that the volunteer system would continue. However, as the jobs were not permanent and with a change of government, many of the 2.5 lakh volunteers turned into gig workers.
Due to this, the volunteer system collapsed and the present government despite its commitment to the promise is unable to go ahead with volunteer system.
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The volunteer system was started in August 2019 with around 2.6 lakh rural and ward volunteers. They were given Rs 5000 for their services. Whole the rural volunteers worked in villages, the ward volunteers did their job in urban areas.
Each volunteer was given 50 houses. However, as they were appointed by YSRCP, they became data providers of voters at micro level in four and half years.
In fact, Jagan also called them his brand ambassadors and called them to campaign for him during elections.
By the time the government changed, the situation changed for volunteers and the system collapsed organically. The Minister’s clarification puts an end to constant discussion with regards to volunteer system.
