The Government of Tamil Nadu has reportedly decided to reduce the number of volunteers who are involved in the scheme Illam Thedi Kalvi by 60 per cent from July 1.

In this context, several volunteers approached the District Collector's office in Tiruchy, Tamil Nadu, to request the government to keep the current number of volunteers, stated a report by The New Indian Express. 

It was during COVID-19, to avoid any academic disruptions that the Tamil Nadu government implemented the Illam Thedi Kalvi scheme, under which, volunteers have been imparting daily lessons for Classes I to VIII, for the last three years.

It is being reported that the government intends to continue with Illam Thedi Kalvi but with fewer volunteers. Thus, 100 women made their way to the District Collector's office in Trichy, urging him not to downsize the scheme. 

It may be noted that despite receiving only Rs 1000 as an honorarium, that these volunteers played a crucial role in registering beneficiaries under the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thogai scheme, successfully processing around 1.50 crore applications without much discrepancies. 

The volunteers urged the collector to look at their job as a service and expressed that they will miss the students.