Government will listen to grievances directly, says Shivakumar

The Chief Minister said the Praja Seva Department was established on September 5 and had already organised campaigns at 620 places.

Mysuru: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday, October 4, said the government was making efforts to ensure that people could get their problems addressed directly through the Praja Seva campaign instead of making frequent trips to government offices.

Launching the Praja Seva programme at Periyapatna, Shivakumar said the initiative was designed to take ministers, legislators and government officials to the people and provide solutions to their grievances at the local level. A special legal assistance centre has also been introduced to offer free help in court-related matters.

The Chief Minister said the Praja Seva Department was established on September 5 and had already organised campaigns at 620 places. More than one lakh applications had been received so far, with petitions concerning Revenue, Rural Development and Urban Development departments accounting for a significant share.

He said every application would be scrutinised by the concerned department and applicants would be informed about the action taken. If a petition remained unresolved, officials would have to explain the reason and identify a solution.

Shivakumar recalled that pension-related complaints had initially formed a major share of the grievances. After the income ceiling was increased from Rs 32,000 to Rs 1.20 lakh, the problem was resolved and around 12 lakh people benefited from the decision, he claimed.

He also said the government had decided to provide sites to five lakh poor families in the first phase. District commissioners have been asked to identify government land, while private land or new layouts could be considered where government land was unavailable.

On agriculture, Shivakumar said 217 taluks had been declared drought-affected and announced measures to support farmers. He also said youth organisations would be established to promote harmony and identify hidden talent among youngsters, with annual financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh for each organisation.

He said Praja Seva meetings would be held regularly at district, taluk and panchayat levels. Ministers and MLAs have been directed to participate, while officials would attend in their absence.

“Service is both devotion and strength. I am a Praja Sevak. The government machinery has come to your doorstep,” Shivakumar said, urging people not to pay bribes or struggle by repeatedly visiting government offices.