Delhi Government Directs Timely Disposal of Grievances
The Delhi government, in a circular, directed officials to ensure time-bound disposal of public grievances, and warned that heads of departments will be held accountable for delays and poor-quality responses to complaints received through official redressal platforms.
In the circular dated October 16, registrar of cooperative societies Krishna Kumar Singh issued instructions for monitoring complaints received through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), LG Listing, the Public Grievance Monitoring System (PGMS) and other grievance redressal platforms.
The directions follow a review by the chief secretary, who expressed concern over pendency of grievances and cases whose disposal had exceeded the prescribed timelines. The circular said necessary action would be taken against officials in departments where grievances were not disposed of on time.
Officials Asked to Monitor Pending Complaints
All branch and section in-charges have been asked to closely monitor complaints and ensure their disposal within the applicable timelines. Overdue grievances must be taken up on priority, while officials have been directed to regularly track pending cases and take timely action to prevent further delays, as per the circular.
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Clear Responses and Rules for Transferring Complaints
The order also emphasises the quality of grievance disposal, stating that merely submitting a reply cannot be considered satisfactory. “Each complaint must be examined on its merits, with officials required to provide clear, specific and reasoned responses and ensure that necessary action has been taken,” the order read.
Further, complaints cannot be transferred to another department or authority without prior approval from the head of the department, the circular stated, adding that any proposal for transfer must clearly state the reasons and establish the jurisdiction of the authority to which the grievance is being referred.
Weekly Reviews and Accountability
A review of grievances will be conducted every Friday, covering pending and overdue cases, overall pendency and the quality of disposal. Branch and section in-charges must also compile consolidated data on complaints received, disposed of, pending and overdue across the various platforms. The data must include age-wise pendency and the action taken in each case.
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The circular further directs officials to prioritise grievances pending under the CM Jansunwai programme, along with old and unresolved complaints.
It also cautions officials against mechanically closing complaints or disposing them without an appropriate and satisfactory response. Branch and section in-charges will be responsible for ensuring compliance and monitoring the performance of officials dealing with grievances. Avoidable delays, repeated pendency and deficiencies in disposal quality will be viewed seriously, the circular said.