Earlier, a poor person had to go to the mandal office for even a simple certificate. Wait for hours, make 3–4 trips, and even then the work might get done — or might not. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy turned this system completely upside down.
The Village/Ward Secretariat System was Jagan’s boldest and most innovative governance reform. A secretariat was opened in every village and ward — where 10 to 15 government employees operated. Each had specific responsibilities — panchayat, welfare, revenue, agriculture, health.
Now the poor didn’t have to go anywhere. The secretariat came to their doorstep. Certificates, pensions, scholarships, rations — all from one place. This was India’s most decentralized governance system.
Jagan also integrated technology with this system — every task was tracked through apps and portals. If a secretariat employee didn’t work, a complaint would be logged. Accountability was directly in the hands of the poor.
Lakhs of people who had never set foot in a government office in their lives — suddenly had access to the full state machinery. Village Secretariat is the best example of Jagan’s governance vision — power to the people.
