Our current Prime Minister's first speech in the Parliament after he won in 2014 General Elections mentioned three specific wide priorities that the new Government was going to embark on.
a) External security, which includes economy.
b) Centre-State relations, including goods and services tax (GST).
c) Public Grievance Mechanism, especially its service delivery.
I personally had great hopes from the third. But now I am giving up hope. When the totally online, totally paperless and totally non-contact based Public Grievance Cell was re-launched some time in 2014 after the new Government took over, I was delighted and lost no time in (a) using it and (b) helping others use it. You can take a look at it here.
Technically speaking, this was supposed to be for all Central Government departments, Ministries, Authorities, and more, as well as for the State Governments to address, which was heartening.
In reality, most of the State Governments gave it a total go-bye, and quite a few of the Central Government Departments chose to consider themselves above the Public Grievance system too.
One of the escapees, for example, was the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG)'s offices. Despite having their own separate name and section in the drop-down list for Central Government, the worthies there had patent answers - they would return off-centre replies saying that they were not in charge of pensions, when the grievances were on all subjects but pensions. After that they started replying that as per the Constitution of India they were simply not responsible for responses to the People of India.
This when specific grievances involving, for example, Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, were brought to their attention with direct proof of grievous fiduciary loss to the Nation, something that the CAG otherwise gets very active in when it involves, for example, coal or telecom spectrum. For the people of India, large scams like cricket are fine for Government to address but smaller scams pertaining to matters like maintenance of roads or money spent on hospitals, are equally, if not more important too, for People of India. But it seems that for the CAG, these are not important, and people are supposed to go back to the Authorities or Government departments, which were responsible for the said corruption in the first case.
A bit like asking the victim of a crime to go back to the criminal?
Another trick that many Public Authorities and Departments and Ministries started using was simply not replying for weeks and month and years. Here is an example of one such grievance,
something very dear to us at Moneylife, bank charges. But it took the PMO almost 37 months to respond, and that also, they just dismissed the grievance out of hand. When I received this, I was like devastated.
This is probably the ultimate in Babu's Revenge!
Registration Number: PMOPG/W/2015/0040084
Name Of Complainant : Veeresh Malik
Date of Receipt: 18 Aug 2014
Received by: Prime Minister’s Office
Forwarded to: Prime Minister’s Office
Contact Address: Public Wing 5th Floor, Rail Bhawan, New Delhi 110011
Contact Number: 011-23386447
Grievance Description: finance: Banks have introduced ATM charges under instructions from Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which are totally unfair and retrograde step as well as not in National Interest. Bank customers should get the benefit of automation instead of being penalised. Delhi Metro gives 10% discount for using plastic. Banks charge extra for using plastic! This needs to be looked into please if benefit of banking is to reach all. Here it looks as though we are paying the penalty for bank NPA scams.
Current Status: CASE CLOSED
Date of Action: 14 Sep 2017
Details: general comments/ inadequate details
What I have done here is to file another Public Grievance on the PMO website asking them to resolve my new grievance on why this one took so long. The reference number for that is PMOPG/E/2017/0510833 of 17 September 2017.
I have documented examples of other equally atrocious responses in an online book over Amazon. It has become a huge book and keeps becoming bigger. Sometimes the response will be in a regional language not understood by the complainant, even though the complaint may have been made in English or Hindi, and the system demands that a response be made in the same language of the grievance filed. So then, we have to file another grievance demanding that the response be provided in the language of the grievance.
Other smart methods to evade responses, other than such long delays, include - as example.
a) Providing a response for some other grievance unconnected! (Air India, Ministry of Civil Aviation)
b) Claiming exemption from adhering to Public Grievances! (Victoria Memorial Hall & Museum, Kolkata, under Department of Culture)
c) Passing them around multiple departments. (The complete mess that Governs Delhi, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Urban Development Department (DUD), Lt Governor, Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Public Works Department (PWD) and more)
d) Passing the grievance to a private party. (GMR and GVK, from Ministry of Civil Aviation)
More recently the Minister of Public Grievances, Dr Jitendra Singh, held forth at a conference on the subject in, where else, Goa. The press report is here.
At this function, our elected and selected representatives gave each other awards for excellence in handling public grievances, but the public was not invited.
Having been an "activist" for some time, I knew how the best of intentions were often destroyed by the various methods that our bureaucracy had when faced with public grievances. In the "good old days" this included -
a) Victimising the complainant by multiple methods including wearing them out by repeated summons.
b) Converting the complainant into an accused by multiple methods usually, totally illegal.
c) Placing external pressures to bear using other laws and rules not in the least connected.
d) Simply ignoring complaints and consigning them into dustbins.
e) Passing the buck round and round till even Kafka would have been reborn.
f) The most dangerous of all, getting the complainant involved in legal and judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings.
g) Treating complainants like shit, or worse, if there is a word.
The Right to Information (RTI) Act and Information Commissions therein in its early days was one option, which tried to resolve issues for citizens in India. Likewise the Consumer's Forum at various levels. Both of them in due course became as complex as the Justice Delivery System of India and if you visit any of the Information Commissions or Consumer Forums now, then you can be excused, if you think you have stepped back in time to just another collection of black coats and legal luminaries. As a Citizen complainant, or seeker of information you are consigned to the back benches and treated worse than the overflowing dustbins and smelly toilets there. And the paperwork required? Do not even mention it. What used to be a single page system is now huge filings.
Personally, I gave up on the complex paperwork and long-winded methods of both the RTI and Consumer Forums a long time ago, even though some of the cases I fought on my own are still held as citation judgements. In this day and age of digital communication, the best way to understand this is to get a grip on the vast number of photo-copying shops doing brisk business outside Information Commissions and Consumer Forums. Surely, PM Modi’s idea of online grievance system was not a version of this nightmare.
(
Veeresh Malik is an activist from Delhi, who continues to explore several things in life.)
Withdrawl of Laws related to Agricultural Reforms is a great mistake. The reforms were necessary for uplifting economic condition of small and medium farmers who constitute 86% of total farmers. I think , the spokes' persons and negotiators deployed by you were not having knowledge and convincing power. They should have studied reports submitted by committees headed by Dr Swaminathan, Dr RS Paroda and also by Bhupendra Singh Hudda. All these reports favour reforms as stated in Laws https://www.helplinehub.org/prime-minster-india-office-contact/
I had borrowed Rs six lakh under fixed ROI @8.25% pa.for ten years and insurance cover was obtained by bank up to Sept 18. How ever I have been paying Emi totaling RS 780581/- when my was partially collapsed and damaged very badly due to illegal basement constructed by my neighbor. As such we lodged claim as per clear cut survey report and could not pay remaining balance balance RS 133099/- hoping it would be adjusted against claim received. But insurance companies has denied it after keeping it pending for more than three months while on other hand bank has started to initiate various cases against us and recovery suit filed after adding legal expenses to it. As such amount was inflated to Rs 371,000/-. Not only this when requested audit of loan a/c the was further inflated to Rs 650,000/- after lodging other cases such as:-
1. Recovery suit
2. Sarfaesi act case
3. Police case
4. Hired recovery agents
5. Published in newspapers
6. Some other cases
When approached RBI ombudsman and FM,PMO, CVC etc.they provide a reference No.and that's all. If anyone needs proof and information regarding this case pse inform so that we move forward in proper guidance.
Rashmi Yadav
I am speaking from my own experience of 35 years.
Even in small matters, I once travelled by train from Delhi to Bombay. The coach had no water right from its origin Amritsar. Called and tweeted to IRs much hyped grievance numbers. No action. Finally in the evening, informed the TTE who appeared to be a sincere person. No action till 9 pm at Bhusawal.
What is the use of applauding new tools when the setup is only bothered about ordering citizens around and not serving people?
I used it on two occasions.
One, when a builder was not delivering a flat within stipulated time. Foolishly I gave him 2 more years grace period.
After registering with this public grievance portal I got a response from all parties, builder, local corporation etc.
matter was resolved.
Next I had a problem with my miserable savings account at post office. I registered another grievance here. Within 4 days post master was on the job and my problem got resolved in one week.
All I’m saying is if you have a genuine issue the portal is of immense benefit to the common middle class person like me.
Thanks,
Deepak
I had sent an online grievance redressal to the PMO PG on 13/10/17 vide Reg.No. PMOPG/E/2017/0552501. Disposal action was initiated by the Under Secretary MoH & FW (CGHS) New Delhi wherein the attachment reply was meant for a different person some Mr. Sunderajan of New Delhi and the subject matter was completely different to that of mine. This irresponsible and callous action of a pretty senior govt servant conveying and disposing information of someone else's grievance addressed to me is strongly condemnable and needs action against the defaulting official. There appears to be no check off system existing in the Ministries of Health & Family Welfare, Personnel, Public Grievance & PMO as to whether the grievance has been properly redressed and fully settled. I hope this information receives the kind attention of the above mentioned Ministries for appropriate action.
To
Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi ji,
Prime Minister of India
Hon’ble Dr. Jitendra Singhji,
Minister of State/DoPT/PMO
Shri Pradeep Sinha ji (IAS)
Cabinet Secretary to Govt. of India
Smt. M. Sathiyavathy,
Labour Secretary, MoL&E)
Sub:- Immediate Termination of Shri J.P. Phogat, Regional Director from Board’s Services for misusing his capacity of R. D. in the name of looking after the charge of Director, CBWE – reg.
Ref:- Ministry’s letter No.Q-11011/2/2014-ESA(WE) dated 15/3/2016, Shri J.P. Phogat, Regional Director; transferred from IIWE, Mumbai to HQ, Nagpur to look after the charge of Director.
Sir,
Please go through all my correspondence made right from the Director, CBWE to the President and Prime Ministry of India regarding redressal of my grievance for promotion to the post of Assistant Director w.e.f. 1.2.2012, the date of arising the vacancy.
Shri J.P. Phogat, while looking after the charge of the Director, CBWE, misused his capacity of Regional Director and issue two separate (fake) office orders granting promotion of Assistant Director 1) Smt. J.S. Chodankar, Steno Gr.I (Isolated post), CBWE, Mumbai 2) Shri H. G. Purohit, Steno Gr.I (Isolated post), without physically meeting of DPC members at Nagpur/Delhi, in the wake of non-availability of full Coram of DPC members.
He was also aware that the MoL&E/DoPT/PMO/Chairman, CBWE and the undersigned are continuously be informed that due to vacant posts of Director/Addl. Director/Dy. Director/Financial OR in any other case; the DPC for the post of Assistant Director could not be conducted in lack of full Coram of DPC members.
Further, he was also well known that the DPC can be conducted by only and only the HOD i.e. Director/Joint Secretary/Director, HOD, MoL&E OR any other higher authority upto the level of these. [see seniority and promotions]
Even, though, the undersigned immediately represented vide letter dated 25.04.2016 against the above fake office order offering promotion for the post of Assistant Director to Smt. Chodankar; Shri Phogat, during his official tour to Delhi, singed another fake office order in the name of Shri Purohit on getting refusal from the first on preplanned.
Shri Phogat has violated the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964, 1965 and Service Rules 1962 – Article 309 – Constitution of India, the powers conferred to the President of India:
1. He has no right to conduct DPC for the post of Assistant Director, equivalent to the post of Regional Director.
2. He has not been and also can not be delegated the powers of HOD as the post of Regional Director 4th Rank below the Head of the Department/Director/Joint Secretary.
3. He did not take immediate action on my representation dated 25.04.2016 intentionally.
4. He disobeyed the directions of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India vide Ministry’s letter
a) No. DGP/M/2015/90006 dated 16.2.2015 and reminder dated 8.6.2015
b) No.Z-20027/14/2013-ESA (WE) dt, 6th August, 2015
c) No.Z-20025/5/2016-ESA(WE) dated 13/16-05-2016 and
d) No.Z-20025/5/2016-ESA(WE) dated 25-05-2016,
e) He given fake and misleading reply vide letter No. Q-16016/02/12/CPGram/HQ /Vol.I/2015/59 date 16.06.2016, PMOPG/E/2016/0145892 date of Action 17 Jun., 2016, No. Q-16016/02/12/CPGram/HQ/Vol.I/2015/184 date 12.08.2016, No.A-200012 /79/PF/2000/830 date 29.06.2016, No.684 dated 13.06.2016 etc…..
“that you are repeatedly quoting in your communications sent time to time that Ministry has given instructions to the Director to promote you as Assistant Director vide letter No.Z-20027/14/2013-ESA (WE) dt, 6th August, 2015. At the cost of repetition, it is submitted by the Ministry in its communication dated 06.08.2015 has very specifically stated that no action is required from their end and has not given instructions to promote you as Assistant Directorâ€.
5. He was also well aware that the DPC held in the month of December, 2014 by Smt. Namratta Tiwari, Director with full Coram consisting 1) Addl. Director 2) Financial Advisor granting MACP to the undersigned; has the validity to regularize the promotion as Assistant Director from the date of arising the vacancy i.r. 1.2.2012.
6. He was also aware that the upgradation of the Junior Steno-D (Gr.III) is also a fraud as such there is no other post in cadre as Steno Gr. II & I. 2ndly, the Jr. Stenos in CBWE have already got illegal upgradations 4&3 time above. Then, how can they be given further promotion from isolate cadre to administrative cadre without following any rule position.
Further, Smt. Namratta Tiwari, Director with full Coram consisting 1) Addl. Director 2) Financial Advisor was made her several approaches to the Chairman, CBWE to conduct DPC for the said post. Then, why not the DPC was not permitted or singed the valid papers even during his official visits at Nagpur? In which position he has signed fake and fraud documents forwarded to him by email. What are the new guidelines for conducting fake and fraud DPC? Who is responsible for my 25-years long service loss working in the same post, same position without any further time scale or promotion?
Do you feel that I belongs to the state of “PAKISTAN†? Please remember that I belongs to the family whose elders were in the AZAD HIND FOUZ in JAPAN and at present also have on reputed posts in Indian Army and other Central or State Services. No one can blame me in any matter in the CBWE.
 I have joined my duties as Assistant Director on 4.5.2016, under Article 309 vide No.Z-20027/14/2013-ESA (WE) dt, 6th August, 2015.
 I have filed two separate cases in CAT, Mumbai against illegal DPC and illegal Transfer from CBWE HQ to Regional Directorate, Nagpur and further from Regional Directorate to Raipur. (O.A. No.426/2016 & 565/2016)
The dealing hands and the authorities of CBWE having malafie practices have not given any reply to the CAT and delaying the matter intentionally.
On considering view of all the above and other silent factors, I demand immediate “TERMINATION FROM SERVICE†of Shri J.P. Phogat, Regional Director.
Yours faithfully,
(Kuldeep Raj)
Senior Clerk
9860038512
Copy for immediate action to Shri K.L. Reddy, Chairman and Shri U.K. Das, Director, Dattopant Thengadi National Board for Workers Education & Development (CBWE), New Delhi/Nagpur
(Kuldeep Raj)
Senior Clerk
9860038512
according to me making accountable the GO, starting first appeal process, fixing of resonsibility and burden of proof on GO may go a long way in correct implementation before enactment of Lokpal.