Make sure there is no delay in extending government services to people: CM

There should be no delay in the provision of government services, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

At a meeting of district collectors and department heads here on Wednesday, he said government officials should pay particular attention to ensuring better coordination between departments so that services are delivered more efficiently and quickly to the public. .

There should be a defined mechanism to address public grievances at the district level, Mr Vijayan said. The government was concerned that there would not be a situation in which people would be driven from one office to another to resolve their complaints or to avail themselves of services. District collectors should make it a personal responsibility and step in to ensure the public is not distressed, he said.

District administrations should also make it a priority to complete the tasks that were included in the government’s two 100-day programs.

Mr. Vijayan also said delays in land acquisition for various development projects in the state should be avoided. Appropriate compensation must be provided in time to those who abandon their land for development projects.

Projects announced in the budget should be completed within a specified time frame. He said the Coffee Park project in Wayanad has not progressed yet. The district administration should work with the panchayats to solve problems such as flooding or water stagnation.

He reminded officials that they should always be aware that government services were not charity but a right of the people. Although most district collectors took a proactive role in addressing issues that affected people, there were also rare complaints that collectors were not intervening, Mr Vijayan said.

The two-day meeting has 55 agenda items related to various development projects in the state. Ministers, senior officials and the Chief Secretary participate in the deliberations.