After the CMO team came under severe attack from the Opposition for undertaking tours and holding grievance meetings, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday made a statement on the matter in the Odisha Assembly.
Patnaik said that the CM grievance cell is handled by the CMO and as per his directions, the officers from the CMO conducted decentralised grievances cell in all districts of the state. He said this was done keeping in view the disruption of two years due to Covid pandemic and reaching out to people by taking the CM grievance cell to the doorsteps of people across the state in the shortest possible time.
According to Patnaik, this mammoth exercise was carried out in more than 190 locations in a period of six months. A total of 57, 442 petitions were collected and as of date, 43, 536 petitions have been resolved or disposed of.
“Petitioners are given written replies and phone calls are made on feedback through Mo Sarkar. I would say with all conviction that this is one of the biggest and most effective peoples’ grievances redressal exercises carried out by any government in the country,” Patnaik said.
CM Responds To Political Criticism
CM Grievance Cell is handled by CMO and Ministers are not required to attend the same in Bhubaneswar. Once petitions are received, they are sent to concerned departments.
"Where is the issue of ministers versus officers in this," questioned Patnaik.
On Chopper Issue
"It would have taken one and half years to do the same exercise by road vis a vis by chopper. Everyday conducting three to five meetings in different locations is humanly impossible within a window of 10 am to 3 pm," said Patnaik.
According to Patnaik, in the last three and half years about Rs 40 crore has been spent on chopper. On an average, Rs 1 to Rs 1.5 crore is spent on chopper every month. In the past six months when chopper was used extensively to reach out to the people, the average expenditure was the same around Rs 1 to Rs 1.5 crore per month.
“It is completely false and misleading to say that excess expenditure has been made,” CM in his statement said.
CM Targets Opposition
In his statement in the Assembly, CM Naveen Patnaik said that the Opposition members should be happy that so many grievances in their areas have been resolved.
“I do not understand how someone can oppose the solving of people's grievances. Such opposition is anti-people and people will give them a befitting reply for such attitude,” Patnaik added.