Erstwhile RBK Staff Side Lined; Government Deploys New Staff

Kakinada: State government has side lined the personnel who worked at the Rythu Bharosa Kendras during paddy procurement from farmers during 2023 Khariff and 2024 Rabi seasons. These staff performed tasks like checking moisture percentage in paddy and noting down the amount of paddy procured from farmers and allotted to rice mills.

The technical assistants received payment of Rs.15,000, data entry operators Rs.12,000 and helpers Rs.9,000.

With starting of the 2024 Khariff season, officials have instructed these employees to return to the cooperative societies they came from. Official sources disclosed that orders have been issued on Thursday evening terminating these staff. New personnel are being recruited in their places.

The old staff said they are qualified graduates and vast experience in the field. They had first been appointed on an 11-month contract. Subsequently, the previous government extended their contract by four months.

After the NDA government assumed power, these employees met civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar, who told them that he will give them good news during Dasara. But they have now lost their jobs.

A technician of Yeleswaram told Deccan Chronicle that when they met the civil supplies district officer, the latter told them that new personnel are being appointed due to political reasons.

The previous employees requested Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and human resources minister N. Lokesh to do justice to them.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has rendered its support to the erstwhile RBK personnel. BJP Kakinada district president C. Ramkumar said more than 30,000 staff are working in the kendras. They should not be terminated from service on political grounds, he maintained.

Ramkumar said he will bring the issue to the notice of Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan. He would request them to reinstate the erstwhile personnel and utilise their services.