It is now official. The Chandrababu Naidu-led government in Andhra Pradesh has confirmed that the village and ward volunteer system no longer exists in the state, and therefore, the payment of salaries to volunteers does not arise.
State Minister for Revenue and Legislative Affairs, Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, clarified this during a session in the state assembly on Wednesday.
He stated that the village and ward volunteer system is no longer operational, attributing its cessation to decisions made by the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government.
"We have not abolished the volunteer system. It was the previous YSRCP government, under then-Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, that did not renew their jobs," the minister explained.
He further added that the system ceased to exist due to the policies of the former administration.
"We made efforts to honor the promises made to the volunteers, but how can salaries be paid to employees who are no longer in service? If they were still active, we would have continued their services," he said.
This clarification comes amidst ongoing discussions about the status of the volunteer system, which was initially introduced to enhance the last-mile delivery of government welfare schemes.
The minister’s statement underscores the system's discontinuation, raising questions about its future and the fate of commitments made to those who served under it.