BHOPAL : The Chief Secretary Antony De Sa has not been able to improve the lacklustre working of the government.
After assuming charge as Chief Secretary in October, 2013, De Sa had started holding public hearings every Thursday, in which he heard problems of the common man. The figures regarding disposal of complaints made in his public hearing in the past ten months have been shocking.
According to sources, De Sa received as many as 660 complaints in past ten months, out of which only 265 could be disposed. The disposal rate of complaints is a mere 40 percent and this has raised a big question mark on the functioning of the government. Sources said several cases are still stuck at the Mantralaya level, despite the CS issuing instructions for their disposal.
The dismal disposal rate of the complaints at the public hearing is also not being put in public domain. Generally, the details of complaints received by the government are available at the website of public grievances redressal department but date related to Chief Secretary’s public hearing are not included in it.
Meanwhile, frustration among the complainants is rising as they find no solution to their problems, even after approaching the Chief Secretary.
Most of cases in public hearing are concerned with government employees and the poor but the officials are not showing any concern towards them.
Sources said majority of the cases are related to erring officials and demands for bribe but no action has been taken against any official which shows the helplessness of chief secretary.
The complaints put up in public hearing are sent to public grievances redressal department and cases of Mantralaya level are looked after by principal secretary Satish Chandra Mishra posted in CS office. Fearing exposure, instructions have been given by chief secretary’s office to keep information about public hearing secret.
A time limit of one week to one month has also been set by chief secretary for disposal of a problem but despite all such provisions, the problems are not being solved.
CS himself not serious
Chief Secretary Antony De Sa himself is not serious towards his public hearing as the same have been cancelled at least ten times. De Sa, who started public hearing on the lines of former chief secretary KS Sharma, is now finding it difficult to continue with them.
