Udupi Hosts First Praja Seva Andolana; Minister Rizwan Arshad Promises Swift Redressal of Public Grievances
Udupi: Reaffirming the government’s commitment to responsive governance, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Udupi District In-charge Minister Rizwan Arshad on Wednesday said that Praja Seva Andolana meetings are being organised across the state to hear people’s grievances at their doorstep and resolve them on the spot.
He was speaking after inaugurating the Udupi taluk-level Praja Seva Andolana meeting, jointly organised by the Department of Praja Seva and the Udupi district administration, at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Auditorium in the Deputy Commissioner’s Office Complex at Rajathadri, Manipal.
The Minister said the initiative reflects the government’s effort to strengthen the bond between citizens and the administration. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had launched the Praja Seva Andolana in Vijayanagara district on September 5, with a decision to implement it simultaneously across Karnataka. However, since the date coincided with Udupi’s major festival celebrations, including Krishna Janmashtami and Vitlapindi, the programme was held on Wednesday to ensure public participation.
Stressing that the government exists to serve the people, Rizwan Arshad said many citizens are forced to visit offices repeatedly for weeks and even months to obtain services. The Praja Seva Andolana, he said, has been designed to reduce such hardship by taking grievance redressal to the taluk and hobli levels.
“The government’s responsibility is to understand the problems troubling people, assess their circumstances and formulate policies accordingly,” he said, adding that district in-charge ministers will hold meetings at the taluk level on the first and third Saturdays and at the hobli level on the second and fourth Saturdays in the presence of officials. These meetings, he said, will ensure solutions are delivered closer to the people.
He further said that every Wednesday, deputy commissioners would review applications and follow up on them in the presence of senior officials. “Our government will seriously examine every application submitted by the people. The applications will be forwarded to the concerned departments, followed up, and the people will be informed about the action taken and the solutions provided,” he said.
According to the Minister, systematic grievance handling and transparent communication about application status are hallmarks of responsible governance. He expressed confidence that the programme would make life easier for ordinary citizens by reducing delays and administrative difficulties.
Calling Udupi an enlightened district, he said he was pleased that the initiative had been launched there. He also announced that a special Cabinet meeting would be held in Mangaluru on September 18 to focus on development of the coastal region, including tourism, business, and employment opportunities.
During the meeting, 208 applications were submitted to various departments. The grievances pertained to issues such as khata phodi, darkhast land, access pathways to agricultural lands, housing, residential sites, drainage systems, lake development, and the Gruha Jyothi scheme, among others.
The Minister listened to the grievances patiently and instructed officials to take immediate steps to resolve the issues at the earliest.
Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna said the Praja Seva Andolana would help activate departments and remind officials of their duties and responsibilities. He hoped that the initiative would become a meaningful mechanism for resolving public problems. He also said Udupi, known for its accomplishments in education, healthcare, religion, and other fields, deserved more effective solutions and greater financial assistance for development.
Deputy Commissioner Swaroopa T.K., in her introductory remarks, said this was the first Praja Seva Andolana meeting held in the district. She noted that the initiative is intended to take government schemes to every household in every village and to ensure grievance redressal within a stipulated timeframe. She urged the public to make full use of the opportunity.
The meeting was attended by Coastal Development Board Chairman M.A. Gafoor, Sri Narayana Guru Development Corporation Chairman Manjunath Poojary, Urban Development Authority Chairman Dinakar Heruru, Udupi District Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee Chairman Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Prateek Bayal, Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar, DFO Ruthen, and other district and taluk-level officials.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Aabid Gadyal welcomed the gathering, while Roshan Kumar Shetty compered the programme.
Several information stalls were also set up on the auditorium premises. The Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj provided details of rural development schemes, while the Social Welfare Department displayed information about its programmes. Various development corporations also offered information on loan facilities.
The National Rural Livelihood Mission–Sanjeevini showcased and sold Sanjeevini products at a special stall. Departments including Agriculture, Horticulture, AYUSH, Animal Husbandry, Labour, Fisheries, Women and Child Development, and the Information Consolidation Centre also participated by informing the public about the schemes and services available through them.
The Health Department additionally conducted a health check-up camp for visitors, making the event a comprehensive public-service outreach programme for both grievance redressal and awareness generation.