Bhubaneswar, 24 August (H.S.): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday held the 20th state-level public grievance hearing, reiterating that addressing people’s concerns with empathy, compassion and sensitivity remains a top priority of his government.

The Chief Minister arrived at the Chief Minister’s Grievance Hearing Cell in Unit-II, Bhubaneswar, in the morning and personally listened to the grievances of citizens. Ten senior ministers and secretary-level officials from various departments were also present to hear the complaints and facilitate their resolution.

“Our government is a government of the people. Listening to people’s problems with sensitivity and ensuring their resolution is our highest priority,” Majhi said while speaking to the media.

He said the government remains committed to standing with people during difficult times, including floods, cyclones, droughts and other natural disasters. Referring to the unseasonal rainfall of 2024, he said the government had declared it a natural calamity and provided assistance to affected people. Similar assistance has also been extended in view of the current flood situation, he added.

According to the government, a total of 15,327 complaints were received during the first 19 state-level grievance hearings, of which 14,519, or 95%, have been successfully resolved.

At the district level, Collectors and Superintendents of Police are regularly conducting grievance hearings, while similar mechanisms are functioning at the tehsil and block levels.

By the end of July, 2,69,394 grievances had been heard at the district level, with 87% of the complaints resolved. The government said the effective resolution of grievances at the district level has reduced the need for people to approach higher authorities unnecessarily and has strengthened public confidence in the administration.

As part of the grievance hearing, Chief Minister Majhi met persons with disabilities and those suffering from serious illnesses who had been waiting outside the grievance cell. He heard their concerns, accepted their petitions and directed officials to take immediate action.

The Chief Minister sanctioned Rs 14.50 lakh in medical assistance for 16 people suffering from various serious illnesses through the single-window system.

More than 600 grievance applications were received through both online and offline modes during Monday’s hearing.

Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, and Forest, Environment, Labour and Employees’ State Insurance Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia were among those present and heard public grievances.

Chief Minister’s Additional Chief Secretary Shashwat Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department Dr Aravind Padhee, Principal Secretary of the General Grievance and General Administration Department Suresh Kumar Vashisth, along with senior secretary-level officials from various departments, also participated in the grievance redressal process.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda