CM announces creation of ‘Prajaseva Department’ to address public grievances

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday (June 20) announced the creation of ‘Prajaseva Department’, a new department headed by a Cabinet Minister to streamline public grievance redressal and improve citizen outreach.

After chairing the second meeting of the State Cabinet here, Mr. Shivakumar said district Ministers would be required to hold regular public interactions across all taluks one day every week to address citizens’ concerns.

“District Ministers have been instructed to conduct weekly grievance redressal and public outreach meetings at the taluk level in the presence of local MLAs,” he said. The department would focus exclusively on addressing public grievances.

He said the new department would have administrative machinery, headed by a senior IAS officer who would oversee the grievance-monitoring mechanism, while applications submitted to Ministers, including those received directly by the Chief Minister, would be routed through the department for review and follow-up.

15-day window

On the issue of permanent electricity and water connections, Mr. Shivakumar said the government had decided to relax certain conditions following representations from residents affected by restrictions that were causing hardship without benefiting the public.

He said owners of buildings completed before May 31, 2000, and currently having temporary electricity connections would be given an opportunity to obtain permanent residential connections.

“Those who have applied for permanent residential connections will be given 15 days from the date of issuance of the Government Order to complete the required formalities,” he said.

Not for new constructions

The Chief Minister clarified that applicants would be required to submit photographs and GPS coordinates of existing structures and that no new constructions would be eligible for the benefit.

Mr. Shivakumar said detailed guidelines would be incorporated into the Government Order before it is issued and that local bodies would be responsible for implementing the decision.