Argus News - 17th Grievance Hearing Resolves Hundreds of Grievances

Bhubaneswar, Feb 9: The 17th Jana Sunani (public grievance hearing) programme took place Monday, continuing the Odisha government’s initiative to directly address citizens’ concerns.

The session began with CHief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, ministers and officials listening to complaints from differently-abled individuals, ensuring immediate action. In several cases, patients were provided urgent medical assistance on the spot.

Five ministers, along with secretaries and senior officials, attended the hearing. The government stressed its commitment to listening to people’s voices and resolving issues promptly.

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Out of 1,000 registrations Monday, nearly 700 grievances were formally presented. These were discussed and forwarded to the concerned departments for resolution.

Since the inception of the programme, 16 hearings have already been conducted, during which 14,054 grievances were received. Of these, 13,169 cases - around 94 per cent - have been resolved, while a few remain under consideration.

CM Majhi said that he had instructed the Chief Secretary to implement the 15-point directive aimed at making administration more efficient and citizen-centric. These directives are being carried out in both letter and spirit across departments.

At the district level, many grievances are being resolved locally. Those that are more complex or serious are escalated to the state level, often reaching the Chief Minister’s office. Authorities clarified that grievances falling within the legal framework will be addressed, while those outside existing rules may require policy changes.

Officials noted that repeated grievances are not discouraged, but citizens are informed when demands fall outside the system. For example, requests for jobs are considered only through established recruitment processes, not through grievance hearings.

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The government reiterated its willingness to adapt policies based on public feedback, highlighting that rules have been modified in the past to accommodate genuine concerns. The grievance hearing programme, therefore, continues to serve as a vital bridge between citizens and administration.