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Hans India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Immediate continuation of doorstep delivery system for PDS sought
Visakhapatnam: Even as the Andhra Pradesh government decided to do away with the door delivery method of supplying essential commodities to beneficiaries under public distribution system (PDS) from June and restore the previous system of dispensing them through fair price shops, it did draw flak from various sections of society. However, the door delivery system was scrapped following a survey that indicated that a section of ration cardholders did not receive essential commodities, discrepancies in the supply mechanism, operational challenges, diversion of goods, lack of manpower to operate vehicles, etc., Expressing concern over the Andhra Pradesh government's recent scrapping of the doorstep delivery system for public distribution of rations, Human Rights Forum (HRF) representatives mentioned that the move will severely undermine the food security of Adivasi communities, particularly those in remote and interior villages of the state. Introduced in 2021, the doorstep delivery model ensured rations were handed over directly to beneficiaries through mobile dispensing units (MDUs), even in remote habitations. This dramatically reduced the travel burden for the elderly, persons with disabilities and daily wage workers. In Adivasi areas, this system was a critical step towards accessible welfare delivery, especially among the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), stressed HRF AP state general secretary Y Rajesh and AP and TG coordination committee member VS Krishna. At several places, Adivasis are now forced to walk up to 10-km across difficult terrain to access rations. The State government's claim that beneficiaries were missing rations under the doorstep system does not align with evidence on the ground, the HRF team pointed out. In fact, a field survey by LibTech India, a policy research organisation, covering 790 Adivasi respondents in the Paderu ITDA region of Alluri Sitarama Raju district found that 83 percent preferred the doorstep delivery system over the depot system for collecting rations. Notably, 92 per cent stated that it had reduced travel distance. While 75 per cent of respondents said under-delivery was a recurring issue at depots, 65 per cent experienced coercion to purchase additional items. Clearly, for many Adivasi families' resident in remote areas, the doorstep system removed significant travel barriers to access ration supplies, the HRF members emphasised. HRF opined that a dual-access model with MDUs as the primary channel and depot-based backup access for those who missed the truck could have been sustained. HRF demanded immediate restoration of the doorstep ration delivery system across all tribal areas, with a provision for depot access to those who miss the MDU. The door delivery model must be strengthened through improved logistics, volunteer support, transparency and robust grievance redress mechanisms.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
HRF condemns Andhra govt's move to extend workday from 8 to 10 hrs
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) has opposed the AP Cabinet's recent approval of the AP Factories Amendment Bill, 2025, which proposes to extend the workday to 10 hours. Terming the move as a serious threat to labour rights, HRF State General Secretary Y Rajesh and HRF member of the AP & Telangana Coordination Committee VS Krishna demanded the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the proposed amendment. The amendment, which seeks to modify provisions under the Factories Act, 1948, has been described by the government as a reform aimed at improving business efficiency. However, HRF argued that the change undermines the progress made over decades through labour struggles for fair and humane working conditions. 'The eight-hour workday has long been a cornerstone of labour rights, not a gift from employers but the outcome of generations of working-class resistance,' the Forum stated. It recalled the role played by BR Ambedkar in shaping and institutionalising this right in the 1940s, and criticised the amendment as a rollback of this significant achievement. According to HRF, the language of 'ease of doing business' is increasingly being used to justify policies that erode labour protections.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
HRF condemns AP's10-hour workday bill
Visakhapatnam: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) condemned the recent assent by the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet to the AP Factories Amendment Bill, 2025 that seeks to impose a 10-hour work day. This, the HRF representatives opine, is an irresponsible and deliberate assault on labour rights and dignity. 'We demand its immediate and unconditional withdrawal. This move, sought to be brought about through an amendment to The Factories Act, 1948, is no 'reform' but a grotesque regression. It is plainly exploitative and treats with contempt decades of labour struggles that have advocated for and attained a humane and sustainable work environment,' mentioned HRF AP state general secretary Y Rajesh and HRF AP and TG coordination committee member VS Krishna. These rights have a long and glorious history, wrested through generations of hard-fought battles led by the working class and progressive movements. The state government now seeks to dismantle these rights so as to benefit corporate interests, they pointed out. The eight-hour work day is the cornerstone of modern labour rights. The HRF recalled the historic legacy of BR Ambedkar who played a decisive role in institutionalising the eight-hour workday. This is now being sought to be rolled back. Extending the maximum daily working hours amounts to entrenching exploitation and a roll-back of hard-won labour safeguards. It normalises overwork, erodes the right to rest and leisure and strips away dignity from labour. This measure constitutes a fundamental breach of the government's constitutional obligations, they emphasised. HRF calls upon all democratic forces to oppose this devious move.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
HRF condemns AP's 10-hour workday bill
Visakhapatnam: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) condemned the recent assent by the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet to the AP Factories Amendment Bill, 2025 that seeks to impose a 10-hour work day. This, the HRF representatives opine, is an irresponsible and deliberate assault on labour rights and dignity. 'We demand its immediate and unconditional withdrawal. This move, sought to be brought about through an amendment to The Factories Act, 1948, is no 'reform' but a grotesque regression. It is plainly exploitative and treats with contempt decades of labour struggles that have advocated for and attained a humane and sustainable work environment,' mentioned HRF AP state general secretary Y Rajesh and HRF AP and TG coordination committee member VS Krishna. These rights have a long and glorious history, wrested through generations of hard-fought battles led by the working class and progressive movements. The state government now seeks to dismantle these rights so as to benefit corporate interests, they pointed out. The eight-hour work day is the cornerstone of modern labour rights. The HRF recalled the historic legacy of BR Ambedkar who played a decisive role in institutionalising the eight-hour workday. This is now being sought to be rolled back. Extending the maximum daily working hours amounts to entrenching exploitation and a roll-back of hard-won labour safeguards. It normalises overwork, erodes the right to rest and leisure and strips away dignity from labour. This measure constitutes a fundamental breach of the government's constitutional obligations, they emphasised. HRF calls upon all democratic forcesto oppose this devious move.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Human Rights Forum slams Andhra Pradesh's 10-hour workday bill as assault on labour rights, demands immediate rollback
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) unequivocally condemns the recent assent by the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet to the AP Factories Amendment Bill, 2025, which seeks to impose a 10-hour workday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This is an irresponsible and deliberate assault on labour rights and dignity. We demand its immediate and unconditional withdrawal. This move, sought to be brought about through an amendment to The Factories Act, 1948, is no 'reform' as the govt is dressing it up, but a grotesque regression. It is plainly exploitative and treats with contempt decades of labour struggles that advocated for and attained a humane and sustainable work environment. These rights have a long and glorious history, wrested through generations of hard-fought battles led by the working class and progressive movements. The state govt now seeks to dismantle these rights to benefit corporate interests. The HRF team, Y Rajesh (AP State General Secretary) and VS Krishna (AP and TG Coordination Committee Member), mentioned that the 8-hour workday is the cornerstone of modern labour rights. It was not a benevolent capitalist handout but realised through decades of working-class resistance. We recall the historic legacy of BR Ambedkar, who played a decisive role in institutionalising the 8-hour workday. He was, in many ways, its architect. Ambedkar's relentless efforts in the 1940s, in conjunction with working-class struggles, led to an 8-hour cap on daily work, thereby curtailing cruel and lengthy work hours. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This is now being sought to be rolled back, they added. HRF believes that the much-bandied-about 'ease/speed of doing business' has become a euphemism for gutting labour rights to appease capital. In current policy discourse in the state, 'attracting investment' is shorthand for systematic deregulation, casualisation, weakening of regulatory oversight, and erosion of labour rights. Extending the maximum daily working hours amounts to entrenching exploitation and a rollback of hard-won labour safeguards. It normalises overwork, erodes the right to rest and leisure, and strips away dignity from labour. This measure constitutes a fundamental breach of the govt's constitutional obligations. HRF calls upon all democratic forces to oppose this devious and retrograde move.
