'Quality' of public grievance redressal more important than 'quantity': Par Panel to personnel ministry

A Parliamentary Committee has asked the personnel ministry to focus more on the redressal of public grievances instead of their disposal, besides using artificial intelligence for raising plaints through voice recording.

In its report tabled in parliament, it commended the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), under the ministry, for implementing most of its recommendations like 'one nation, one portal', Centralised Public Grievances Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal in all regional languages, developing grievance redressal index, and reduction in redressal period from 60 to 45 days and 45 to 30 days, among others.

''The committee also commends the department for the faster rate of disposal of grievances which is over one lakh per month. But the committee is of the view that quality of grievance redressal is more important rather than quantity of grievance disposal and therefore, recommends the department to focus more on redressal of grievances as compared to disposal of grievances,'' the report said.

The CPGRAMS, an online system, allows citizens to raise public grievances against government departments.

As many as 19,18,238 grievances were received in 2022 of which 16,42,846 were disposed. A total of 20,00,590 and 22,71,270 grievances were received in 2021 and 2020 of which 16,65,050 and 18,89,769 were disposed.

The panel observed that while the number of disposal of grievance redressal is quite high, the feedback taken for the redressal of grievance is not at par with the pace of grievance redressal, said the report of the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.

It has also observed that over the last five years, the percentage of grievances redressed for states is less compared to the percentage of grievances redressed for the Centre.

''The committee, therefore, urges the department to take it up with the state governments to enhance their grievance disposal rate so that public grievances are addressed effectively,'' the report said.

The panel also recommends that the department develop a mechanism in which as soon as a grievance is disposed, an SMS stating the details is sent to the mobile number of the complainant and he/she can submit their feedback along with the option to appeal if he/she is not satisfied.

It asked the DARPG to identify ''scheme-wise complaints'' by using data strategy unit.

''The committee also recommends the department to use artificial intelligence to develop a mechanism in which grievance can be lodged through voice recording which will help the people who are unable to file grievances using CPGRAMS portal,'' the report said.