No ‘krodh’ against volunteers: Naidu

Inthe run up to the 2024 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the volunteer system has become one of the major issues of the campaign. While the YSRCP claims that if the NDA alliance comes to power in the state they would do away with the system of volunteers, the TDP on Ugadi day announced an increase in their remuneration from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per month.

The YSRCP reacted by saying thanks to TDP, BJP and Jana Sena alliance for the announcement. This indicates the victory of the policies of Jagan. The ruling party reiterated that they would revive the system soon after coming back to power but did not say that they would increase the remuneration.

On the other hand, the TDP candidates and leaders are telling the volunteers during their door-to-door campaign that they are not against the system but they are opposed to some volunteers working as party workers.

Recalling how the former chief minister N T Rama Rao introduced the mandal system and how Chandrababu Naidu developed the DWCRA women, they are explaining that they never made them work as party workers and they never campaigned for TDP. They had worked for the people and that is what TDP wants the volunteers also to do.

They said the ruling party was making a mountain out of molehill by alleging that TDP was responsible for stopping distribution of social pensions on April 1.

The government issued orders on March 29 saying pensions would be given from April 3 and was blaming TDP for hiding its inability to release the pension money.

Addressing the gathering at TDP headquarters, Naidu said that though the name of the new year is Krodhi, they have nothing against the volunteers and hence TDP has decided not only to retain genuine volunteers dedicated to serve the people but also to double their remuneration. No one can survive with a pittance of Rs 5,000. He said the government will create opportunities for talent among the volunteers to advance their career.

He said Telugus across the world are the highest earning sect and felt that the Telugu community should cultivate the habit of service to society.

Expressing serious concern that the people in the State have been feeling insecure and that the living standards had come down drastically since 2019, he said the state needs to move ahead adopting a knowledge economy if it were to be among the top states by 2047.

Naidu said that the NDA joint manifesto would be announced soon. The main focus of the manifesto would be on developing Amaravati, welfare of the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and the Backward Classes (BCs), he added.