As Rakhi festival gift, CM hikes salaries of 17,608 VOAs

The Government issued an order on Thursday enhancing the salaries of 17,608 VOAs whose services were drafted by the government under the Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP), a state-wide community-driven rural poverty reduction project.

Hyderabad: In what is being billed as a Rakhi festival gift, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday announced a hike in the salaries of the Village Organisation Assistants (VOAs). The Government issued an order on Thursday enhancing the salaries of 17,608 VOAs whose services were drafted by the government under the Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP), a state-wide community-driven rural poverty reduction project.

The hike will be effective from September and it will result in a burden of Rs 106 crore on the exchequer. The Chief Minister has responded positively to the pleas of the VOAs for implementing life insurance. He also considered their request for release of Rs 2 crore to enable them to follow the uniform dress policy.

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The VOAs were being paid an honorarium of Rs 3000 per month. The government was paying an additional support of Rs 3000 thus enhancing their honorarium to Rs 6000 per month. The component of government support towards the honorarium of VOAs was hiked Rs 3900 per month in 2021. The CEO of Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) was directed to take necessary action in the matter accordingly.