VIJAYAWADA: A day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) barred the State from engaging volunteers in disbursing social welfare pensions, Advisor to Government (Public Affairs) and YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy squarely blamed the TDP for the election panel fiat.
He said the government would disburse pension on April 3 and the beneficiaries can collect it at their nearest secretariat as volunteers would not come to their doorstep. He alleged that the Citizens for Democracy, based on whose complaint the ECI took the decision, had the support of the TDP and the credentials of its leaders like former CEO Nimmagadda Ramesh was known to all.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Sajjala alleged that Naidu to cover up his ‘misdeed’ wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary urging that the State government should utilise the services of the village/ward employees at the gram/ward secretariats to ensure timely disbursement of pension to the beneficiaries.
Sajjala further said the TDP chief fearing wrath of the people for his stand against the volunteer system, used his B-Team, the Citizens For Democracy, to lodge a complaint with the ECI.
“Citizens for Democracy was formed in September last year and, after 15 days, it approached the Supreme Court against the volunteer system. The forum maintained that the volunteers were collecting sensitive data and providing the same to the ruling party,’’ he said.
Sajjala said there were allegations that Ramesh acted at the behest of the TDP during the elections to local bodies. “We have even seen him meeting TDP agents in the BJP. Ramesh functioned as an agent of the TDP and the other key persons in the forum also have a similar mindset,” he alleged.
“It is clear that Naidu is against the volunteer system and he does not rise above politics. If Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy wanted to utilise volunteers for politics, he would not have focused on welfare. The success of volunteers is because of strengthening of the government delivery mechanism,” he said.
Making light of Naidu’s allegations that the government lacked funds to pay pensions, Sajjala said funds cannot be drawn on the day of disbursement (April 1) as March 31 is the financial year closing day. “Funds will be drawn on April 2 and pensions will be given on April 3. This has been happening every April,” he clarified. Sajjala added beneficiaries would have to visit the secretariats collect their pension.
SERP CEO issues guidelines for distribution of pension
SERP CEO issued orders on guidelines to distribute pension to beneficiaries at the village & ward secretariat offices. Subsequently, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu wrote to the Chief Secretary and the Chief Electoral Officer, seeking immediate alternative arrangements for pension disbursal & other cash benefits