Village Secretariat System: A Step Forward In Establishing Grama Swarajya

For the first time in the country's history, the Village Secretariat system has been established in the state of Andhra Pradesh in tune with the principles of establishing Grama Swarajya as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi.

AP has created history by decentralising the administration set up a Village Secretariat with all departments available at one place. The State government has not only provided direct employment opportunities to nearly 1,30,000 people at the same time by filling up the jobs at the village and urban levels. The government is implementing the policy of all the important departments in the village to make it available to the public on a very relevant day - Gandhi Jayanti which incidentally also happens to be the 150 birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation. The appointment letters have already been issued to the selected candidates and the Village Secretariat system will come into force from October 2.

The rural areas will witness a radical change in the village administration through the Village Secretariat establishment. Finally, the brainchild of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mmohan Reddy took shape, and he has implemented the promise made in the YSRCP manifesto.

On May 30th, when taking oath as Chief Minister, YS Jagan initiated this innovative administration system. By appointing the volunteers and Village Secretariat employees, the YS government took a step forward to realising the dreams of Gandhiji’s Grama Swarajya. The State Government appointed 1,26,728 employees in single shot for this purpose which itself is a record in the country.

The Village Secretariats will be operational to resolve the people's problems. The government has appointed one volunteer for every 50 households and a municipal ward. These volunteers will promote the government’s welfare schemes (Navaratnalu) for every family in the state. The Chief Minister was firm on implementing the promises and will monitor and review the Village Secretariat works from the camp office.

A total of 11,158 Village Secretariats and 3786 Ward Secretariats will be inaugurated on 2nd October where every Village Secretariat will have 11 to 12 employees.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has repeatedly assured that the Village Volunteers will work beyond the realms of caste, religion, region and even parties and the Government schemes will be provided by the Village Secretariat to all. The employees of the same village may have a bias, as the Village Secretariat employees have been appointed from the surrounding villages. Nevertheless, the YS Jagan assured the people that the Village Secretariat staff and Village Volunteers will work to reach out to each of the rural welfare schemes without the class differences in the villages.

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who has not been able to digest the fact that the village’s volunteers concept was established at such a short span, has been criticising the State government. He made ridiculous comments on volunteers and ended up facing the people’s ire.

In the five years of power, without generating new jobs or granting unemployment allowance, Chandrababu Naidu’s allegations are reflecting the political vendetta and also insulting the women and volunteers, with his ludicrous remarks.

Within four months of coming to power, the YSRCP government has created jobs over 1.26 lakh jobs.

If the paper leaks, they will expose it on the day of the written test and even people have opposing the test. After the results, the pro TDP media houses were spreading negative propaganda about the paper being leaked and the way the exam was conducted. However, they have been unsuccessful in this also.

It takes time for people to get accustomed to any new system in the country. In the same manner, the Village Secretariat and volunteers system will take some time to give results. The people of Andhra Pradesh are blessed as Gandhiji’s Grama Swarajya starts from here and it won't come as a surprise if this concept may be implemented across the country as well.

Also Read: Breathe Transparency Into System, CM Tells New Workforce