It seems the Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has effectively shut the doors on the village and ward volunteer system, even as volunteers continue to hold out hope for its revival, as promised by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) before the elections.
According to sources, the latest indication comes from the village secretariats department, which has removed the volunteer attendance feature from its mobile application, a system that had been in use for the past five years.
Volunteer association leaders confirmed that the app no longer allows volunteers to log their attendance, sparking speculation that the government is moving away from continuing the system.
During the recent assembly session, the issue of volunteer salaries was raised.
State Minister Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy clarified that the volunteer system is currently not operational.
He noted that no renewal orders for volunteers had been issued since August 2023 under the YSRCP government.
The minister questioned how salaries could be paid when the system itself had been suspended.
He further criticized the previous government for failing to renew the volunteer system, accusing it of misleading both the volunteers and the public.
YSRCP leaders stated that if the government had genuinely intended to continue the system, renewal orders would have been issued.
When Panchayat Chamber leaders called for the cancellation of the volunteer system, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan responded by explaining that volunteers were not part of the official employment structure, making their dismissal a "technical issue."
He emphasized that the coalition government remains committed to finding ways to benefit volunteers, even if the system itself is discontinued.
