Volunteers serving people without corruption: Minister

PNS|Vijayawada

Social Welfare Minister Merugu Nagarjuna has criticised TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, party leaders and the media supporting them for wanting to replace the Volunteer System with Janmabhoomi Committees that persecuted people during the TDP regime. He opined that the people of the State had still not forgotten the atrocities committed by the Janmabhoomi Committees during the previous TDP government.

Minister Nagarjuna said that around Rs 2 lakh crore has been distributed through DBT by the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, without any allegations of corruption. He claimed that more than 700 services were being implemented through the secretariat system. The minister said that Chandrababu Naidu was not confident of winning the upcoming elections and was looking for alliances with Jana Sena and other parties.

He recalled that the whole of India appreciated the services rendered by the Volunteers at the risk of their lives even during the Covid epidemic. The Volunteer System is a responsible public service and nowhere they are given the power to select the beneficiaries. During the TDP regime, all the powers were vested in the Janmabhoomi Committees through GO 135 issued on September 15, 2014 from the Panchayat Raj department. He alleged that Chandrababu Naidu corrupted Janmabhoomi Committees and the system with bribes. Naidu issued GO 36 in 2017 giving powers to the Janmabhoomi Committees for granting houses and TDP leaders of the Janmabhoomi Committees robbed poor people.

The minister recalled that the public had to pay three months of pension as bribe to get pension despite fulfilling all norms, if they wanted a house they had to pay Rs 20,000, if they wanted a loan they had to pay Rs 10,000 and if they wanted to construct toilet then they had to pay Rs 1,500 as a bribe. He alleged that Janmabhoomi Committees prevented those who did not vote for TDP from getting any benefit in any scheme despite having eligibility to get welfare schemes.

Minister Nagarjuna said that in the Jagan government, the Volunteers ensured that all the schemes were provided to those who were eligible, regardless of caste, religion or party. He said that people who thought that the Volunteer System was similar to Janmabhoomi Committees changed their opinions as the Volunteers were working for the highest level of service. He stated that the TDP-friendly media was afraid that the party would lose once again in the State, hence spreading lies against the Volunteers.