It is still easier to construct a building in big cities than getting the map of the proposed structure approved by the relevant government department. However, there are still government servants who work to make lives of the general public easier. And one such officer is in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. He is 2014-batch IAS officer Prem Ranjan Singh, and because of his people-friendly approaches, getting necessary permission for constructing building have become an easy process. And getting the map approved even easier. Officials themselves call up people to come and take their approved maps so that they can start construction at the earliest.
Indian Masterminds interacted with IAS officer Prem Ranjan Singh, who is the Vice-Chairman of Gorakhpur Development Authority, to ask him about his proactive staff and how he managed to bring about this change.
PROACTIVE OFFICIALS
People in Gorakhpur were in for a pleasant surprise when they started receiving phone calls from government officials to come and take their approved maps for construction of building or house. These people, whose applications were rejected for some reason months ago, were asked to come to the Gorakhpur Development Authority’s office to collect their approved maps. On IAS officer Prem Ranjan Singh’s instruction, GDA engineers and officers are disposing applications fast, that were either pending for years or were canceled for some technical reason.
In the last few months, all the applicants whose maps had been canceled bfore are being called to the Gorakhpur Development Authority Office and the same maps are being passed. Most of these applications were rejected due to some technical issues. With this new initiative, up to 50 percent maps are being passed now, whereas earlier, the average was only 15 percent. In the last 3 months alone, 354 maps were applied online, and out of this, 152 were approved.
PROCESS FAST TRACKED
It is due to the efforts of Mr. Prem Ranjan Singh that the whole process of map approvals has been freed from the technicalities of red tape.
Mr. Singh told Indian Masterminds, “The biggest problem in building construction process is getting the map passed. One has to make rounds of the offices; even then the work is not done. That’s why when I joined, I paid attention to this subject, because the CM is from here and he wants this problem sorted out. I started a camp, where I sit in our meeting hall with all the babus and officers related to the map. The applicants also come there and explain their problems, and their files are viewed and settled there iteself.”
He further informed that they had run the camp for 3 months, and it benefited people a lot and many cases were settled. Maps that have been stuck for years were passed and handed over to the people. “Some of them had even given up hope; so imagine how long their files must have been stuck. We have settled most of the cases in these 3 months. Some cases were 11-12 years old and many were hanging due to minor mistakes. The advantage in the camp was that everyone sat together and talked, so things went smoothly and got cleared.”
INCOME INCREASES
The officer also informed Indian Masterminds that they still do these camps every now and then. The camps are set up whenever needed, in every 15 days or 1 month.
“We have settled all the pending issues. Due to this, the income of GDA has crossed 200 crores for the first time this year. Otherwise it was always 120 or 130 crores. The income of GDA is only from the general public, there is no separate budget. So, this is a big achievement. Now about 1 month is left for the end of the financial year. After that, this income will increase to 220 crores. This has been possible because of giving time to the public by following a people-friendly approach.”
PERSONALLY INTERVENES
Mr. Singh also informed that he himself keeps records of all the applications that people send to the department so that nothing goes amiss. “If someone puts the map online and then sends it to me or any concerned officer, I make sure to get it done in 3 days. I have got many files done in one day even. For the last 6 months, through this process, not only people benefited but also record revenue has been earned. After a new master plan comes in April, even more speed will be noticed in passing of maps.”
