Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday conducted the 18th edition of the State Government’s Public Grievance Hearing Programme, highlighting the growing role of the grievance redressal mechanism in improving governance and public service delivery across the state.
The CM arrived at the Public Grievance Cell at Unit-II in Bhubaneswar and personally heard complaints from citizens. Thirteen senior ministers of the state cabinet also joined the hearing process and interacted with complainants.
In a detailed post on X, Majhi said the grievance redressal system has, within two years, become an integral part of Odisha’s administrative framework. He noted that the initiative has strengthened public confidence in the government by ensuring that citizens can directly place their concerns before the administration.
He also said the impact of the programme is now visible across various levels of governance. District Collectors and Superintendents of Police are regularly hearing public grievances, while similar mechanisms are functioning at the tehsil and block levels.
According to official data, around 2.40 lakh grievances had been heard at the district level by the end of April, with nearly 92% of them resolved. The government believes the system has reduced the difficulties faced by people in getting their complaints addressed.
Majhi pointed out that the CM’s Public Grievance Cell has become fully operational as the state government approaches the completion of two years in office. Including Monday’s session, he has personally conducted grievance hearings 18 times. During district visits, he also receives complaints directly from the public.
As in previous sessions, the CM first met 30 persons with disabilities and individuals suffering from serious illnesses who were waiting outside the grievance cell. He listened to their problems, received their petitions, and directed officials to take immediate action.
Later, he heard grievances submitted by registered complainants inside the grievance cell.
The CM also approved medical assistance worth Rs 3.60 lakh through the Single Window System for about 13 individuals suffering from various ailments. He also sanctioned compassionate financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to Kamakshi Sahu of Nayagarh district following the accidental death of her son.
More than 600 grievance petitions were received during the day through both online and offline modes.
Officials said that of the 14,651 grievances submitted in person during the previous 17 grievance hearing sessions, 14,046 cases have been resolved, taking the disposal rate to 96%.
Majhi said the programme enables ordinary citizens to communicate their grievances directly to the government and administration. He added that the initiative is currently being conducted on a limited scale due to the ongoing summer conditions, but will be expanded after the season ends.
The CM also announced plans to hold grievance hearing programmes in districts outside Bhubaneswar. The move is expected to reduce the burden on people from remote areas, who often have to travel long distances to the state capital to seek redressal of their issues.
