Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has saluted the volunteers for their exemplary services, at a public meeting held at Narsaraopet on Thursday.
Mr. Jagan presented them with cash awards, mementos, and said that 2.32 lakh volunteers would be felicitated across the State in the next 20 days.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Jagan said that the village and ward volunteer system had redefined governance making Andhra Pradesh a role model to other States, and added that the service orientation of the volunteers was laudable.
“We are happy to announce that 2.32 lakh volunteers are being given awards in three levels with a cash incentive, medal, badge and a certificate at an expenditure of ₹239 crore. Volunteers played a key role in taking welfare schemes to the beneficiaries by creating awareness on every government initiative, including the welfare calendar,” he said, adding that the entire State was feeling proud for their services.
Recalling the services provided by volunteers, Mr. Jagan said that so far ₹50,508 crore had been distributed by volunteers through YSR Pension Kanuka, where each volunteer wears a smile and distributes the pension amount even before dawn.
Drawing a comparison with the previous government, he stated that earlier people used to run from pillar to post to avail themselves of government schemes, but the situation had changed in the current government with the volunteer system, where every welfare scheme was being provided with complete transparency, without resorting to any corruption. In the last three years, almost ₹1.34 lakh crore had been directly credited to the beneficiaries’ account through DBT.
The Chief Minister said that Seva Mitra was being awarded to 2.28 lakh volunteers, which includes a cash reward of ₹10,000, citation, shawl, and a badge. Similarly, Seva Ratna Award was being given to 4,136 volunteers which carries a cash prize of ₹20,000, a citation , medal, badge and a shawl. Seva Vajra was given to 875 persons, the award carries a cash prize of ₹30,000, medal, badge, citation and a shawl. He stated that the award presentations would go on at mandal level for the next 20 days. He asked the volunteers to continue their good work and wished ‘All the Best’.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also sanctioned a flyover, veterinary polytechnic college and autonagar to Narasaraopet.
Ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Botsa Satyanarayana, Ch Sriranganatha Raju, local leaders and Village/ Ward Volunteers were present.
