Jammu, Dec 26 (KNS): The Governor’s grievance cell has received 35,322 grievances of which 34,313 have been forwarded to concerned authorities for the address.
An official here in the civil secretariat told this Kashmir News Service (KNS) correspondent that highest number of complaints have been received against Public Works Department, followed by Service Selection Board, Public Health Engineering, and Police Department. “There are complaints about corruption and embezzlement of funds in these departments,” the official said.
A lot of complaints have also been received against lack of electricity in various areas. Most of the complainants say that they witness frequent power cuts and the Power Development Department is not adhering to its power curtailment schedule.
The Rural Development Department has the most number of complaints related to poor implementation and corruption in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Indra Awas Yojna (IAY).
However, it has been noticed that departments have not been complying the directives of the Governor’s office in addressing the grievances of people.
The government has written to departments that government was committed to the speedy disposal of the grievances as many as received by it through the Governor’s grievance cell.
“It has, however, been observed that notwithstanding the instructions issued for the disposal of grievances from time to time, certain departments/offices furnish the action taken report/response to the Governor’s grievance cell or governor’s secretariat belatedly thereby defeating the concept of prompt service delivery and grievance redressal which are a sine qua non of the mission good governance-mission delivering development,” the government communiqué reads.
The government has also directed to departments to ensure submission of reports/response in respect of the complaints/grievances to the Governor’s grievance cell.
An official of Governor’s grievance cell said that people have lodged their complaints on various issues including shortage of potable water, electricity and medicine in hospitals. "But departments are not addressing the grievances," the official said.
Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Batamaloo it has been over two months since he lodged the complaint with the Governor’s cell but to no avail. “The complaint might have been disposed to the department but my issue has not been resolved,” he said.
Another resident of Pampore, Mehraj Din said that he lodged the complaint two months before about lack of ration electricity. “We are yet to receive any response so far,” he added. (KNS)