Grievance Redressal Overhaul Ordered by Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Agriculture and Rural Development Ministries

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday told agriculture and rural development officials to revamp grievance redressal. Chouhan warned that cases shown as resolved on files were not enough. Chouhan said relief must reach the intended beneficiaries. The directions came during a review meeting of both ministries, after governance instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Representative image

Chouhan ordered daily scrutiny of complaints across systems and portals. Chouhan said both ministries would form separate teams of at least 10 officers. These teams will check public grievances, citizen letters, and online submissions. Chouhan also called for stronger coordination among agriculture, rural development, land resources, and ICAR.

Grievance redressal teams in agriculture and rural development

Chouhan said visible governance should reach villages and households. Chouhan said farmers and poor families should not be forced to chase offices. An official statement quoted Chouhan saying, "Governance must be visible in peoples lives, not confined to files,\". Chouhan linked faster redressal to smoother delivery of welfare schemes.

Chouhan said personal checks showed mismatches in some cases. Chouhan said beneficiaries were called to confirm if benefits arrived. Chouhan said records sometimes claimed delivery, but people reported pending support. Chouhan said this gap needed trend analysis. Chouhan asked for region-wise data and scheme-wise blockages, followed by system fixes.

Chouhan announced monthly grievance reviews on the first Monday. Chouhan said the June review will shift to the second Monday. Chouhan cited the kharif season for the change. Chouhan said regular monitoring would stop delays from building up. Chouhan told teams to track outcomes, not only disposal counts.

Grievance redressal reforms for PM Awas Yojana and crop insurance

Chouhan told officials to find hurdles within one week. Chouhan asked for lists of complex rules, process delays, and policy gaps. Chouhan said issues affected schemes including PM Awas Yojana, crop insurance, horticulture, and road programmes. Chouhan also questioned licensing in some areas. Chouhan said registration could replace licences in many cases.

Chouhan asked for stronger use of artificial intelligence and digital tools. Chouhan said platforms should enable better data sharing between departments. Officials said integration work had already started. Officials said several grievance databases were being merged. Officials said the aim was a unified assessment mechanism for faster review and clearer accountability.

Grievance redressal and governance planning through Vision 2047

Chouhan said files often start at lower offices and carry old approaches. Chouhan said these habits could slow decisions as files move upward. Chouhan asked for improved noting, drafting, and decision support at grassroots offices. Chouhan said better quality inputs would help senior levels act faster and with clearer facts.

Chouhan asked departments to list pending court cases and name nodal officers. Chouhan also told teams to improve legal representation. Chouhan said governments often lose cases due to weak or late submissions. Chouhan also directed each department to draft Vision 2047 documents. Chouhan said plans should include annual to daily action schedules.

Chouhan asked officials to share reforms already carried out. Chouhan said outreach should include farmer organisations and sarpanches. Chouhan also mentioned elected representatives and social media. Chouhan suggested short videos and graphics for wider understanding. Chouhan said state partnership was essential, since delivery happens at state level.

Chouhan asked for stronger zonal conferences and scheme-wise coordination with states. Chouhan also told officials to speed up solarisation of government buildings. Chouhan called for limiting foreign travel unless it was truly needed. Senior officials from agriculture, rural development, land resources ministries and ICAR attended the meeting.

With inputs from PTI