VISAKHAPATNAM: Human Rights Forum (HRF) and Samalochana have sought rationalisation of the village volunteer system in agency areas of the State. Hailing the village volunteer system as a novel and vital initiative to improve the delivery of welfare programmes and services, B Chakradhar, convenor of Samalochana, and VS Krishna of HRF in a statement on Wednesday said G.O M.S. No 104 however specified that one village volunteer is positioned for around 50 households.
The ratio is being well maintained in the rest of the mandals across the State, but when it comes to agency areas (5th schedule areas), one volunteer serving 50 households is clearly an uphill task, they said. The system should be rationalised in a way that not more than 30 households in agency areas should be entrusted to a volunteer, unlike 50 in plain areas, given the intricacies involved in network coverage and geographical challenges, they observed.