Date:20/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/20/stories/2008082057170300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Grievances day speeds up redressal

Correspondent

MAHABUBNAGAR: Collector V. Usharani changed the concept of grievances day which would be observed every Monday in order to speeding up the redressal of problems of individuals and communities. Prior to Ms. Usharani, grievances day was observed as a simple ritual.

Every Monday, people used to come to Mahabubnagar town and used to submit their written grievances to the Collector. And the Collector used to pass on them to the district heads of the department to whom the petition related there ended the matter.

Of late the Collector found the lacunas in the procedure. Since few weeks the Collector is conducting the grievances day along with heads of the departments.

On Monday she starts receiving petitions from the people since 10 a.m. and concludes around 5 p.m. She goes through the petitions and interacts with the petitioner for few minutes and passes on it to the head of the department who is present in her chambers.

The Collector received over 160 petitions on last Monday. Ravi Shankar Goud of Kalwakol village of Pedda Kothapally mandal has taken a crop loan of Rs. 5, 000 in 1997. Though his case comes under the purview of waiver of crop loan, the local bank refused to waive it.

The Collector assured him to look into it. Number of such petitions of individual problems are more among the petitions received by the Collector.