Recognising the vital role of panchayats in scaling up the pace of development in a district, Bastar Collector Chandan Kumar has been taking steps towards their empowerment. The Chhattisgarh Panchayati Raj Act has a provision for ‘Panchayat Secretariat’ in every panchayat. Till now, it only existed in paper but with the Collector’s intervention, the practice has been started again in Bastar. These regular meetings provide an opportunity to the general public to come with their problems to the Panchayat functionaries and get redressal.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, District Collector Chandan Kumar spoke about how the Panchayat Secretariat was made active once again in Bastar.
FORUM WHERE CITIZENS CAN ASSERT THEIR RIGHTS
Just like there is a Collectorate at the district level and a Secretariat at the state level, the Panchayat Secretariat has been established to solve the problems at the village level. There are 433 panchayats in Bastar district and their secretariat was inoperative till recently.
The district administration decided to make it active once again and started an exercise where all the village level functionaries like the Panchayat Secretary, Patwari, Anganwadi workers, etc., have to gather together in the panchayat office on scheduled days. Every panchayat has been assigned one day a week for this meeting.
Anyone with problems related to any government schemes, pension, ration card, MANREGA, etc., can go to the meeting and demand redressal. Most of the cases related to pension or ration card have to be solved there and then. The problems which require budgets of Rs. 10-15 lakhs have to be brought to the notice of the district administration for action.
Mr. Kumar said, “Most people in the villages have small issues. Those who have means and money approach the Collectorate or block for redressal, but others are left behind. This should not be the situation. So, we are focusing on strengthening the Panchayat Secretariat and provide a forum to the people where they can assert their rights and held someone accountable.”
He also added that the government schemes are designed in the best manner but they usually fail in the last mile at the delivery point, which is the panchayat. Hence, the district administration of Bastar is focusing on providing a system for the people, where their problems can be heard and resolved in no time.
PUTTING A MONITORING SYSTEM IN PLACE
Without proper monitoring, any programme or campaign has a fair chance to fail. Hence, the Bastar district administration is trying to devise a proper monitoring system to monitor these meetings. As of now, some district level officers and block officers have been appointed as nodal officers and deployed to specific panchayats.
“They visit the Secretariat on scheduled days and take a report on the meetings. Whether people are coming to attend them or not. Are people aware about the meetings? Are the interactions between the functionaries and the public healthy?” Mr. Kumar said.
He added that the whole idea is to reach out to the general public and restore their confidence in government and public bodies.
