Learn from Narendra Modi, Mr Kejriwal

by Nandita Thakur 4 weeks ago

Arvind Kejriwal leaving the Janta Darbar mid-way due to a ‘stampede like’ situation

The much awaited Delhi ‘Janta Darbar’ organised by the newly elected Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, turned out to be a super fiasco. Within 15 minutes Arvind Kejriwal and his 7 ministers left the venue not able to handle chaotic situation outside the Delhi Sachivalay. Thousands of complainants had gathered to get their problems solved by the chief minister who had raised hopes among citizens through his sugar coated speeches.

It was the best example of poor planning and total mismanagement. While people were struggling to reach out to authorities to pass their complaints, Arvind Kejriwal was giving an interview to a news service. What was more shocking was, with a smile on his face and almost patting his own back for gathering so many people, he accepted there was mismanagement and lack of planning.

People had come to register their complaints and get solutions on a chilly morning with high hopes. But what shocked the nation was complaints were found lying on road outside the Sachivalay.
Is this the way to handle public grievances? How can a chief minister take redressals of public grievances so lightly?

Arvind Kejriwal is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Khargpur, one of the premier IITs of India. He had served in the Income Tax Department at a senior post for almost 20 years. His educational and professional background are enough for him to understand the use of technology and the administrative system of government. Yet, what happened outside the Delhi Sachivalay was total mayhem and a mockery of the redresal system.

In 2004 I had gone to Kheda Collectorate for some work. There was sense of tension around the collectorate. Officers were running here and there with files. I was informed that it was the 4th Thursday, day of the Mukhyamantri SWAGAT online program. The day Chief Minister Narendra Modi listens to public complaints through video conferencing. I was surprised as I have never ever heard about such a program. Complainants were sitting in the room and officers were getting ready with their papers.

SWAGAT or the State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology was started in 2003 by the Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi.

SWAGAT is an innovative concept which connects aggrieved persons directly with the chief minister for redressal. Public grievances are addressed at three levels – Taluka, District and State. Chief minister himself reviews grievances. Review is done based on the problems solved and not on the petition disposed.

SWAGAT works in the following way:
- All the grievances received are sent online to the officers concerned. Concerned officers have to reply within 3 to 4 hours.

- At 3 PM, the chief minister himself, through video conferencing, examines each complaint in detail, while complainants are sitting in respective districts.

- Complaints are examined in the presence of the Collector/District Development officers (DDO)/Superintendent of Police and officials concerned and are reviewed online.

Efforts are made to offer fair and acceptable solution on very same day.

SWAGAT has been extended to the village level in the name of Gram SWAGAT. Gram SWAGAT has helped people staying in the remotest villages of Gujarat to get their problems solved.

Till today 92.84% cases have been solved by mutual efforts. SWAGAT Online received the United Nations Public Service Award For improving Transparency, accountability and responsiveness in the public service category.

What happened at the Delhi ‘Janta Darbar’ or earlier seen in Nitish Kumar’s Janta Darbar where two women created rucus or Employees’ unions protested could have been avoided by adopting a system like SWAGAT, which is scientific, practical and time saving.

Redressal of public grievances is all about keeping intact the faith of the common man in the state. It is about creating an atmosphere where the common man can get justice at the earliest. It is the reflection of good governance of the state.

As Narendra Modi says, “The real test of good governance is its grievance redressal system. That should be at the root of any democratic system – that people should not only be able to voice their problems freely but also get their problems solved quickly.”

Arvind kejriwal with his educational background, professional experience could have made use of technology but probably in his desire to appear a ‘common man’ he ended up sending back the common man of Delhi with more pain and hopelessness.

There is always a new beginning.

“SWAGAT hai AAP ka” Mr Kejriwal

Source: http://www.newsroompost.com/learn-narendra-modi-mr-kejriwal/