If the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition government in Andhra Pradesh, headed by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has its way, the village and ward secretariat system introduced by the previous Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government may soon be dismantled.
A decision on this matter is expected to be made shortly by Naidu. The issue reportedly came up for discussion during a state cabinet meeting chaired by Naidu at the state secretariat on Friday.
The village and ward secretariat system was introduced by the previous YSRCP government to deliver welfare schemes more effectively to beneficiaries. Approximately 1.5 lakh employees were appointed as secretaries across various departments under this system.
However, the current coalition government believes that the intended benefits of the system have not been realized and has decided to rationalize the workforce. This move has faced opposition from employees, raising debates about whether the government will make a significant decision on the matter.
At present, there are around 15,000 village and ward secretariats in the state, each staffed by about 12 secretaries. The coalition government feels that these employees are not delivering government services at the expected level.
As part of the plan, the government intends to reorganize these employees into multipurpose and technical functionaries. Furthermore, Chief Minister Naidu has directed the appointment of an "aspirational secretary" alongside them.
The Village/Ward Secretariat Employees’ Federation has urged the government to consult with the Joint Staff Council before implementing changes. They emphasized that any changes should benefit both employees and the system.
The federation also appealed for consultations with the council, cabinet, senior officials with extensive experience, and employee unions with permanent memberships before making any major decision.
Sources suggest that if rationalizing the current 1.3 lakh employees proves unfeasible, there is speculation that the entire system could be scrapped and integrated into the regular government structure.
While no formal decision has been made yet, discussions may take place during the cabinet meeting, and an official announcement could follow.
If the system is abolished, it is likely that ward secretariat secretaries will be reassigned to the municipal department, while village secretariat staff may be transferred to the Panchayati Raj department.
