Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday held the 18th session of the state-level public grievance hearing at the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell in Unit-2, where he personally heard complaints from citizens and reviewed the status of grievance redressal in the state.
More than 600 grievances were received during the day-long session, submitted through both online and offline modes. The Chief Minister also met 30 differently-abled and critically ill persons who were waiting outside the venue and directed officials to take immediate steps to address their concerns.
Along with the Chief Minister, 13 Cabinet Ministers attended the hearing and participated in listening to public grievances. Senior officials from various departments were also present to assist in the redressal process.
During the session, the Chief Minister approved Rs 3.60 lakh in medical assistance for around 13 beneficiaries suffering from different ailments under the Single Window System. He also sanctioned Rs 2 lakh as ex gratia assistance to Kamakshi Sahu of Nayagarh district following the accidental death of her son.
Out of 2.40 lakh grievances received at the district level till April, around 92% have been resolved. The Chief Minister also noted that out of 14,651 complaints registered in the state grievance cell up to the 17th session, 14,046—about 96%—have been disposed of.
Addressing the media, Majhi said the grievance hearing programme has become an important platform for citizens to directly communicate their issues to the government. He added that the initiative is currently being conducted on a limited scale due to prevailing heatwave conditions and will be expanded further after the summer season.
The Chief Minister further stated that grievance hearings will soon be conducted in districts outside Bhubaneswar so that citizens from remote areas do not have to travel to the state capital. He said this step would make administration more accessible and responsive.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo; Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management Suresh Pujari; Minister for School and Mass Education, ST & SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Nityananda Gond; Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mukesh Mahaling; Minister for Commerce and Transport, Steel and Mines Bibhuti Bhusan Jena; Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Rabi Narayan Naik; Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Public Enterprises Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra; Minister for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Science and Technology Krushna Chandra Patra; Minister for Higher Education, Sports and Youth Services, Odia Language, Literature and Culture Suryabanshi Suraj; Minister for Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education Sampad Chandra Swain; Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Labour and Employees’ State Insurance Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia; Minister for Co-operation, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Pradeep Bal Samanta; and Minister for Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Gokulananda Mallick, who were present and heard the grievances.
Senior bureaucrats, including Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hemant Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Saswata Mishra, and Special Secretary Suresh Kumar Vashishth, were also present and coordinated the grievance redressal process.
