BHUBANESWAR: As Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi gears up for another round of his widely lauded public grievance hearing at the state capital on Monday, the CM’s grievance cell has achieved a disposal rate of 93 per cent, signalling the government’s resolve to make governance more responsive and citizen-centric.
According to sources at the General Administration department, of 12,950 grievances received in the 14 rounds of Monday hearings held since the BJP government assumed office in June last year, 12,040 cases have already been resolved, while 910 are under process.
This will be the first public hearing after the BJP’s victory in the Nuapada bypoll. Officials said the chief minister is keen to reinforce his commitment to a governance model where citizens have direct access to the top leadership.
Soon after assuming office, Majhi revived and institutionalised the chief minister’s public grievance hearing as a regular exercise to bridge the gap between people and the administration. Accompanied by ministers and senior bureaucrats, he personally listens to complaints and ensures that departments take measurable follow-up action.
On the very first day of the grievance cell opening on July 1, 2024, the team handled around 1,420 grievances while the CM directly interacted with 1,000 people, setting the tone for a brisk and accountable format. The number peaked during the third hearing on August 5, last year when a record 2,349 grievances were received. While the lowest 503 petitions were received during the sixth hearing on December 16, the disposal rate was below 80 per cent on July 7, 74 per cent on July 28 and 62 per cent on August 11, this year.
The high disposal rate, officials said, is a reflection of the administration’s push for a ‘Lokanka Sarkar’, a government that positions citizens at the centre of governance. All departments have been instructed to treat grievances on priority and submit compliance within strict timelines.
Among the pending cases, service matters, pension and retirement benefits, land matters and police cases topped the chart. Meanwhile, additional chief secretary of GA department Surendra Kumar has urged DGP, collectors and SPs secretaries of all departments to resolve the remaining 910 grievances with personal intervention.