Andhra: Government criticized for not fulfilling promises made to volunteers

Guntur: Former president of the APNGOs Association N Chandrasekhar Reddy criticised the “neglect and mistreatment” of the State’s 2.5 lakh volunteers by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

He said Naidu had promised a monthly salary of Rs 10,000 for volunteers before the elections but failed to fulfil that commitment.

To make matters worse, volunteers have not received their salaries for the past seven months, plunging them into financial distress.

Chandrasekhar Reddy condemned the recent house arrests of volunteers who attempted to voice their grievances under the banner of ‘Chalo Vijayawada,’ calling it a shameful act against those who serve the public selflessly. He also criticised Minister for Forests and Panchayat Raj Pawan Kalyan and Minister for HRD Nara Lokesh for making promises to volunteers but failing to keep them.

He demanded that the TDP-led NDA government honour its manifesto commitments by implementing the promised salary hike and ensuring the timely disbursement of salaries.