Botcha blames Naidu over ECI bar on volunteers distributing social security pensions in Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam State Education Minister blames TDP leader for halting social security pension distribution using volunteers.

State Education Minister and YSR Congress Party senior leader Botcha Satyanarayana blamed Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president Nara Chandrababu Naidu and ‘Citizens for Democracy’ general secretary Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar over orders issued by the Election Commission of India(ECI) that services of volunteers should not be used in distribution of social security pensions. He said that many innocent people of the State are suffering due to the acts of Mr. Naidu and his supporters. He said that if someone (individual volunteer) makes a mistake, it is not right to attribute it to everyone.

Speaking to the media here on Monday, Mr. Satyanarayana alleged that Mr. Naidu and his close associate Mr. Ramesh, who is former AP State Election commissioner, had hatched a conspiracy to put lakhs of beneficiaries of the pension scheme into trouble. As most of the beneficiaries are senior citizens, it is not possible for them to go out for pension in hot weather, he said.

At the behest of Mr. Naidu, Mr. Ramesh had written to the ECI on the issue, which is unfortunate, Mr. Satyanarayana said. “People should know who hatched conspiracy to stop pension distribution,” Mr. Satyanarayana said.

The Election Commission of India had recently issued directions not to use the services of volunteers for disbursement of cash benefits under any scheme, including social security pensions, till the model code of conduct is in force in the State. The ECI directed that the hand held devices like mobile phones and tablets provided to the volunteers should also be deposited at the offices of District Election Officers.

The decision was taken by the ECI on the orders of the Andha Pradesh High Court during the hearing on the petition filed by Citizens for Democracy against the volunteer system.