Resident welfare bodies seek say in local governance in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (APFERWAS) has urged the state government to recognise RWAs as members of the local administration to utilise their services effectively. In view of the rapid and significant developments taking place in cities such as Visakhapatnam, Amaravati, and Vijayawada, APFERWAS requests the govt to take the initiative in this regard. If the govt takes this forward-looking and positive step, it will serve as a model for all other states in the country to follow. RWAs are a micro-urban family reminiscent of the joint families of yore. There are at least 160 RWAs in Visakhapatnam city alone. Apart from these, there are tens of RWAs in Vijayawada, Nellore, Kakinada, and other cities in the state," association vice-president KSR Murthy said.APFERWAS was inaugurated by then Union minister of urban development, M Venkaiah Naidu, in Visakhapatnam in 2016. It will be completing a decade of its services in the next few months. "Unfortunately, despite this significant progress, RWAs are not given due importance in the local administration. Their expertise and experience are not being used in any way. No one consults them in urban development, in resource utilisation, or in the effective management of various schemes. They are generally remembered only at the time of Swachh survey. This is because they are not considered as part of the local govt. If RWAs are included as members of local governing committees, especially ward committees, their experience, selfless service, and immense expertise in many fields will be of great use for the development of cities not only in Andhra Pradesh but also the entire country," Murthy added.