VIJAYAWADA: In a historic decision, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) signed a memorandum of understanding with an insurance company to provide accident insurance for about one crore party activists.
IT and HRD minister and party national general secretary Nara Lokesh signed the deal with top executives from United India Insurance and Pragmatic Insurance Broking here on Thursday.
Lokesh oversaw the party workers’ welfare fund for the past several years and took proactive measures to provide financial assistance to active members of the party during their ordeals.
Lokesh is the brain behind the party’s decision to provide accident insurance to all the party members, which no political party in the country has so far thought of.
According to the agreement, TDP paid Rs 42 crore for the first phase of the insurance for the workers from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. The party will pay a similar premium amount next year as well. Under this agreement, workers will be provided with accident insurance worth Rs 5 lakh.
TDP took several measures for the welfare of the party workers, particularly after Nara Lokesh took responsibility as the head of the workers’ welfare fund. TDP spent about Rs 138 crore for the welfare of the workers in the past few years.
The party set up an exclusive legal department during the previous YSRCP regime to provide legal assistance to the party workers who faced torture and false cases.
A special cell was established in the central office to help workers who were injured in various accidents during the previous regime. NTR Trust has been operating residential schools in Hyderabad and Challapalli, Krishna district, providing free education to the children of deceased party workers.
In fact, the party membership drive yielded an unforeseen response from the party activists in the field as the total membership already reached about 90 lakh.
Lokesh’s constant reviews with the ministers and legislators pushed the party membership drive to new heights. Party supremo Chandrababu Naidu agreed to extend the deadline for enrolment of members till the Sankranti festival on January 15, following requests from the party leaders in the districts.
The total membership is likely to cross the one crore mark by the time the deadline ends.
“We consider each and every member of the party as part of our family. TDP will never ignore the party workers who are the backbone of the party in serving the people of the state,” said Lokesh.
He said that the decision to provide free accident insurance coverage to the party workers is to extend financial assistance during unexpected incidents.
“Lokesh has been relentlessly working for the welfare of the workers, and the decision to strike an agreement with insurance companies will be a golden chapter in the history of political parties,” said energy minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar.