Unperturbed by the shocking event of a transporter committing suicide during a Janata Milan programme, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit is now planning to extend these programme at district headquarters also. At present Janata Milan programmes are being held at the State party office in Dehradun.
The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Trivendra Singh Rawat informed journalists on Tuesday that the Janata Milan programmes would be held on last Friday or Saturday of every month in the district headquarters.
Accordingly CM has asked the ministers and Principal Secretaries in charges of the districts to remain present at the districts allotted to them on last Friday of every month to address public grievances.
In the order the CM has said that all minister in-charges, Principal Secretaries and secretaries should conduct review meeting and hold Janata Milan programmes and ensure redressing all grievances on the spot.
After the infamous incident of transporter Prakash Pandey consuming poison at the state party office in Dehradun where Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal was conducting Janata Milan programme blaming GST and demonetisation for his miseries, speculations were being raised in various sections that the party could discontinue these programmes.
However undeterred by the shocking incident, the party think tank has taken a decision to take these programmes in all the district headquarters.
The state BJP Chief Ajay Bhatt has repeatedly termed these programmes as very successful in achieving their objective.
On the directive of CM Trivendra Singh Rawat the Janata Milan programme was started from August 28 wherein either Chief Minister or one his cabinet colleague listen to public grievances on working days. After initial success when large number of people thronged these programmes, the attendance has petered down of late.
One party functionary said that most of the pleas during these programmes are about financial assistance from the discretionary fund of the Chief Minister, seeking jobs and issues related with the district administration.
In some of the cases prompt administrative action was done when the ministers took up the grievance with officials concerned. However in absence of any record keeping and follow up no action could be taken in many complaints.