PNS|Hyderabad
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao decided to increase the salaries of VOAs on Thursday as a Rakhi gift. The VOAs’ salaries will now be increased to Rs 8,000 per month.
This will benefit 17,608 IKP Women’s Associations (VOA) working across the state. The increase in wages will be effective from September. The government will incur an additional burden of Rs 106 crore by increasing the salaries of the VOAs. However, the CM decided to hike salaries to help the women.The CM took the decision to increase VOAs’ salaries, provide funds for their uniforms and to implement the renewal process every year instead of three months. The CM also responded positively to the request of VOAs to provide a life insurance scheme for them.
The CM decided to provide Rs 2 crore for uniforms every year. The CM also took the decision to enforce the job renewal policy every year instead of three months.
Responding positively to the request to provide life insurance cover, the CM ordered Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao to study regulations and submit a report.
VOA representatives said that no government has taken care of them in the past. They said they were thankful to KCR for addressing their grievances and hiking their salaries.
Ministers T. Harish Rao, Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Sabitha Indra Reddy, Satyavathi Rathore, PR Principal Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania, SERP CEO Gautam Potru, representatives of VOA women’s groups and others attended the programme.
In United Andhra Pradesh, VOAs used to extend their services voluntarily to Self Help Groups regarding financial aspects and in compiling data. They were given only an honorarium of Rs 2,000.
After the formation of Telangana state, KCR recognised the VOAs’ services to society and started giving them Rs 3,000 as a monthly honorarium from 2016. The government also applied the PRC to the VOAs and enhanced their salary to Rs 3,900 on humanitarian grounds.
After this, the VOAs have been receiving Rs 5,900 including Rs 2,000 from Self Help groups. Concerned over their hardships, the CM took the decision to increase their salaries as a Rakhi gift.
