The Chhattisgarh Government receives approximately 2,000 complaints from the general public through the video conferencing mode annually, officials stated.The applicants do not have to travel all the way to Raipur as they can now communicate their problems directly to Public Grievance Redressal Officers through video conference, they stated.
Meanwhile, they can also contact district-level officers of the departments concerned. A large chunk of the grievances have been redressed through this video conferencing system. Video Conferencing System that was initiated from three districts have now been expanded to all 27 districts of the State by Chhattisgarh Government.
Officials of Public Grievance Redressal Department on Tuesday said that Chhattisgarh is the first and the only State of the country that has been using this modern information technology for past 10 years to establish direct contact with public and thereby redress their grievances. Video conferencing system has been serving as a medium for the public to convey their grievances, which are redressed by the State Government.
Initially, this facility was commenced only in three districts namely Bastar (Jagdalpur), Surguja and Bilaspur districts. Till 2008, total 16 districts were connected through video conferencing network. After formation of nine new districts in year 2012, the network has been further expanded to all 27 districts of the State. All the Collectorates have been equipped with video conferencing facility.
As per the directives of Chief Minister Raman Singh, Public Grievance Redressal Department organises video conference on each working day at National Informatics Centre from 11.30 am to 1.30 am. On each working day, eight districts are connected to video conferencing network, for which district-wise date and time schedule has been chalked out in the State.
The Chief Minister has issued directives that for applications related to Administrative Department of the Mantralaya, concerned Department Secretary or authorised senior officer will participate in the video conference to give patient hearing to the grievances and redress the same at the earliest. To address the district-level complaints, head of the district office concerned will be asked to join video conference at the Collectorate. According to the officers, video conferencing system is being used to address the most complicated and sensitive complaints.