Will TDP disband volunteer system?

Anantapur-Puttaparthi: The present system of disbursing old age pensions via bank accounts would continue, dispensing with door-to-door disbursement through volunteers. Similarly, door-to-door transportation of subsidised rice will be stopped and like earlier, beneficiaries must collect their subsidised rice from ration shops. This step will render hundreds of transport operators jobless, leaving them struggling for survival and facing difficulties to repay their bank loans.

Several pension beneficiaries. who spoke to 'The Hans India expressed doubts on the continuation of volunteers’ services. The talk of continuation of crediting pensions in bank accounts is itself an indication that volunteers’ system would be scrapped, despite TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu reiterating continuation of village volunteers and even increasing their remuneration to Rs 10,000 per month.

A village volunteer Raja Kumari opined that all YSRCP volunteers could be replaced with TDP volunteers, if in case they decide to continue the system.

Several pensioners said that they are looking forward for an increase in their pension from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 from June 1. Besides, Naidu promised to pay Rs 4,000 with effect from April 2024 and payment of arrears in either June or July 2024.

The beneficiaries of YSRCP welfare schemes are anxious about the fate of many welfare schemes and how they would affect their lives and economy.