22 counters, including two special counters, were set-up to receive complaints, ensuring efficient sorting and recording of grievances.
Published Nov 27, 2023 | 2:13 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 27, 2023 | 2:13 PM
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah holds Janatha Darshan at his official residence in Bengaluru City on Monday. (supplied)
Thousands of people from across the state — each hoping for redressal of their individual grievances — thronged the Janatha Darshana held by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his official residence — Krishna — in Bengaluru on Monday, 27 November.
The first Janatha Darshana organised by the chief minister since taking oath for his second term, it is being touted as a proactive move to address the grievances of the people of the state.
The event witnessed Siddaramaiah personally hearing the grievances of the public since early on Monday morning. After hearing the grievances, he promptly issued directives to the concerned officials.
With meticulous preparations in place, 20 counters and separate special counters for the physically-challenged and senior citizens were set up to receive complaints, ensuring efficient sorting and recording of grievances through the use of a dedicated software.
On the orders of the chief minister, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers (ZP CEOs) and Superintendent of Police (SPs) of all the districts were virtually present for the event.
Ningamma, a street vendor from ST Palya in Bengaluru City, complained to Siddaramaiah about harassment from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials and Bengaluru City Police over running a tea shop.
Responding to her complaint, the chief minister immediately directed the concerned officials not to harass her.
“ಜನತಾ ದರ್ಶನ”
– ಜನರ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಸರ್ಕಾರಬೀದಿ ಬದಿ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರಿಗಳಿಗೆ, ತಳ್ಳುವ ಗಾಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರ ಮಾಡುವವರಿಗೆ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಮತ್ತು ಬಿಬಿಎಂಪಿ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳಿಂದ ಆಗುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕಿರುಕುಳದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಬಡ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರಿ ನಿಂಗಮ್ಮ ಅವರು ಜನತಾ ದರ್ಶನದಲ್ಲಿ ದೂರು ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿದರು.
ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @siddaramaiah ಅವರು ತಕ್ಷಣ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು ಮತ್ತು… pic.twitter.com/XGu55EoUuF
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) November 27, 2023
In another complaint, a senior citizen alleged that despite him paying the tax for his house and producing government receipts, the BBMP officials imposed double penalties and harassed him.
Enraged by the attitude of the BBMP officials, the chief minister took them to task on the spot and ordered them to address the issue and report to him by Monday evening.
Similarly, thousands of people turned up to the chief minister’s residence with complaints of harassment by the BBMP, as well as district, and taluka officials. Several others had similar complaints against the police as well.
Janatha Darshana, a grievance redressal programme, is one of the flagship public outreach programmes kick-started by JD(S) state president and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy when he was at the helm back in 2006.
After this programme became a massive success, successive governments, irrespective of the party in power, continued the Janatha Darshana tradition.
Siddaramaiah had also conducted the grievance redressal programme during his first term as chief minister.
On the directives of Siddaramaiah, the district ministers and district administrations are also holding Janatha Darshana every month at the district level.
However, the DCs, ZP CEOs and SPs have to hold the grievance redressal programme at the taluka headquarters and villages.
As it is the first mega grievance redressal programme being organised by the chief minister, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) set-up 22 counters, including a special counter each for the physically-challenged and senior citizens.
According to the CMO: “Twenty counters have been set up to receive complaints and two counters have been set aside for senior citizens and people with special needs. Complaints received will be sorted, department-wise, (and) will be recorded in the software.”
“Applicants will be given an acknowledgment letter, after which the CM will hear the complaints and suggest solutions. A circular has already been issued to all the government secretaries and heads of departments, asking them to be present in person,” it added.
The CMO made it mandatory for the citizens attending Janata Darshana to produce their Aadhaar card or ration card for identification.
“The complainants can easily find out the status of the application, as it would be documented in a software,” the CMO said.
