Network Woes Fuel Tribal Protest Against Face App Attendance

Tribal residents from remote villages in Ravikamatham mandal of Anakapalli district staged a protest on Wednesday, demanding the withdrawal of the mandatory Face App-based attendance system for employment works, arguing that the absence of mobile network connectivity has made compliance impossible.

Organised by the Agricultural Workers’ Union and the Tribal Association, the protesters marched from Garnekam village to the Ravikamatham Mandal headquarters and staged a dharna outside the MPDO office before submitting a memorandum to the EORDO.

They demanded the immediate resumption of works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), continuation of employment until August, and restoration of the earlier attendance system in place of the Face App-based mechanism introduced under the V-B RAM G scheme.

Residents of Ajjapuram, Kotnabilli, Z. Bennavaram, Kalyanalova, Z. Jogampeta, Tatiparthi, and neighbouring tribal habitations said they had to climb nearly two kilometres to nearby hilltops to access a mobile signal and mark their attendance. They said poor connectivity had also affected access to pensions, Anganwadi services, and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, and called for the installation of mobile towers in the affected villages.

The memorandum also sought MGNREGS funds for road works benefiting the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) families in Z. Bennavaram, issuance of 20 new job cards in Z. Jogampeta, and inclusion of 18 eligible families under the scheme.

Agricultural Workers’ Union District Assistant Secretary K. Govinda Rao, Tribal Association president Singarapu Valasayya, and leaders Padi Bennayya, Gammili Vasu, Gammili Raju and Gammili Prasadu, among others, participated in the protest.