Guntur: Village, ward volunteers demand hike in salary

Guntur: Volunteers emergency meeting held at B R Stadium in Guntur city on Saturday demanded the government to recognise their services and hike their salaries immediately.

They conducted the meeting in the backdrop of increase of salaries of mobile dispensing units (MDU) owners from Rs 16,000 per month to Rs 21,000 per month.

They pointed out that volunteers distribute pensions from 6 am at the doorsteps of beneficiaries and render services to the people. They felt that in spite of it the government is paying only Rs 5,000 per month and warned that if the government did not respond, they will take up agitation to mount pressure on the government to achieve their demand.

There are 4,000 ward volunteers working in Guntur city and over 20,000 village volunteers working in Guntur district.

A volunteer T Suseela said " I am unable to feed my family with a salary of Rs 5000 per month.. Though we are rendering services to the people, the government has not recognised our services. I am requesting the government to recognise my services and hike my salary."

Another volunteer P Sunita said, "We are rendering services to the people. We have no objection on hiking salaries to MDU owners, there is a need to hike the salaries of volunteers also."