Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao review on Village Revenue Assistants

Honourable Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has announced that salaries of Village Revenue Assistants who are working on hereditary basis will be hiked by 64.61 percent. The CM has decided to increase the salaries of the Village Revenue Assistants from the existing Rs 6,500 per month to Rs 10,500 and over and above this Rs 200 per month as an increment for achieving the Telangana State. This will result in VRA getting Rs 4,200 more salary per month. Since the hereditary VRA’s are living 24X7 in the villages and are available to the people in the village, the CM also announced double bed room houses for them in their own village. The hiked salaries will be paid to the VRAs from April 1. The CM also instructed officials concerned to issue orders to construct a double bed room house for the VRAs in their village. The CM also announced 30 per cent reservations for the VRA’s in the VRO, Attender and Driver posts. The CM also issued instructions that all those who are referred to and called as Vetti and other nomenclature should be referred to and addressed as the VRA. The decisions taken by the CM will help and benefit 19,345 VRAs working in the State.

Honourable CM has also decided to regularise the VRAs who passed the Public Service Commission examination and working.  The CM has asked TSPSC Chairman Prof Ghanta Chakrapani and Special Chief Secretary (Revenue) Sri MG Gopal to prepare guidelines on the matter. This decision will benefit 2,900 VRAS who were appointed directly after clearing the TSPSC but were working on a lesser wages.

The Chief Minister held meeting with the two categories of the VRA representatives who earlier had several meetings with Minister Sri KT Rama Rao. The meeting is held at Pragathi Bhavan here on Friday in which Deputy CM Sri Mohamood Ali, Ministers Sri KT Rama Rao, Sri Indrakaran Reddy, Sri Chandulal, TSPSC Chairman Prof Ghanta Chakrapani, Government Whip Sri Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, MLA Sri Jalagam Venkata Rao, Special Chief Secretary (Revenue) Sri MG Gopal, CCLA Secretary Sri Kalicharan and others participated. VRAs (Direct recruits) Association President Sri Vinjamuri Eswar, General Secretary Sri Ambala Sridhar, Mahila Wing President MS Balamani,  VRA (Dependents) Association president, Secretary Sri Yellanna, Sri Rajaiah, trade Union leaders Sri G Rambabu Yadav, Sri P Narayana and others held discussions with the CM.

“In the Telangana movement and later formation Telangana state, VRAs did a yeoman service.  They are participating in every government programme and are available in the village 24 hours. All those who are working as VRAs are poor and are from the BC, SC, ST and Minority communities. Though it is called a part time job, VRAs are doing overtime. Despite all their workload they are getting meagre wages. They are not even getting the minimum wages. It is difficult to survive with Rs 6,500 per month. There is a need to increase their salaries. Though it is a burden on the state’s ex-chequer we have decided to hike the salary of VRA to Rs 10,500 per month plus Rs 200 increment for obtaining the Telangana Statehood. This is recognition of their services and their availability round the clock in the village. This hike is 64.61 per cent and hiked salaries will be paid from April 1. Every month on 1st like every other government employees VRAs also get their salaries. Besides hike in their salaries, the VRAs should be treated with dignity and respect. For ages their families are in the service of villages.  Their self-respect is undermined as they were called by different names such as Vetti, Maskur, Kavalkar, Khaandhar etc., Stop addressing them with these names. Henceforth, they should be called as VRAs.  All those working as VRAs as a family profession have been discharging their duties in the village only through out their service. In recognition to their service to the people in the village, the government will construct a double bed room house for them in their native village. Issue orders giving double bed room houses for all the VRAs working on hereditary basis. Start construction of the houses. With increased salaries, change in their designation nomenclature and the double bed room house should enhance the self-respect and prestige of the VRAs. And this is our government’s aim. For the appointment of VROs, Attenders and drivers appoint those qualified VRAs and 30 per cent of reservation is given to them in these posts,” the CM clarified.

“There are other categories of VRAs who are directly recruited by the TSPSC and they are working on meagre salaries. Due to new districts, mandals and Divisions there are more posts. Find out the vacancies and regularise the direct recruitees. Guidelines should be prepared on the issue,” the CM said.