YSRCP leader Kurasala Kannababu criticised the coalition government over its handling of Village and Ward Secretariat employees and demanded clarity on service rules and promotions.
Kakinada: YSRCP Regional Coordinator and former minister Kurasala Kannababu criticised the coalition government on Tuesday, alleging that it was weakening the Village and Ward Secretariat system and attempting to create an impression that the model was poorly conceived.
Speaking at his camp office in Kakinada, Kannababu alleged that the government was undermining a system designed to bring administration closer to citizens. He also accused the coalition government of treating Secretariat employees as political adversaries because of its opposition to former Chief Minister and YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Kannababu condemned the filing of cases, suspensions and police action against Secretariat employees protesting over their demands. He alleged that more than 140 employees had been suspended and claimed that women employees were also taken to police stations.
Instead of addressing the employees' grievances, the government was resorting to intimidation, he alleged. Kannababu said the YSRCP would stand by Village and Ward Secretariat employees and support their demands.
Kannababu said the YSRCP government established 15,004 Village and Ward Secretariats in 2019, creating an administrative framework covering duties, job charts and service-related matters.
According to Kannababu, employees were brought under the service rules of their respective line departments, while a two-year probation period was prescribed at the time of recruitment. He said departments were also directed to frame or amend the necessary service rules.
He further claimed that government orders covering service rules for 17 categories of employees were issued during the previous YSRCP government and that mechanisms relating to promotions, regularisation and pay revision were also created.
Kannababu argued that claims that the Secretariat system had no service rules, job charts or promotion channels overlooked these government orders.
The YSRCP leader said the Village and Ward Secretariat model was intended to provide a range of government services at the grassroots level, including pensions, ration cards, welfare schemes, revenue, agriculture, health and sanitation services.
He said the system, along with the volunteer network, was designed to take government services closer to people's doorsteps. He also highlighted the role of the grassroots administrative network during cyclones, floods and other emergencies.
According to Kannababu, weakening the workforce or changing the responsibilities of Secretariat employees could ultimately affect the delivery of public services.
Kannababu demanded an immediate halt to cases and suspensions against employees and sought a clear roadmap from the government on job charts, service rules, promotions, probation, regularisation and pay revision.
He also questioned whether the coalition government intended to strengthen the Village and Ward Secretariat system or gradually dismantle it.
“If the government truly believes this is a useless system, does it have the courage to abolish it completely? If not, why weaken it piece by piece and make both employees and citizens suffer?” Kannababu asked.
He asserted that the YSRCP would continue to raise the concerns of Secretariat employees and fight for decentralised public services.
