Page 65 - Shelter - April 2023

CASE STUDIES

RESPONSIVE GOVERNANCE THROUGH ACTION

ORIENTED PUBLIC LISTENING

DR. P.B. SALIM The case study from West Bengal INTRODUCTION TO
DEBMAY CHATTERJEE presents an e-Governance THE PROJECT
initiative, which works on the
AMITJOTI BHATTACHARJI principle of action-oriented The Monitoring of
Programme Implementation
MAINAK MUKHERJEE public listening. The project and Grievance Cell, set
has already handled more than up in West Bengal in June
1.3 million grievances online, 2019, is aligned with the
with around 96 percent disposal. United Nations’ Sustainable
“The e-Governance initiative Moreover, the project has helped Development Goals,
which envisage promoting
works on the principle of action- in reaching to nearly 6.0 million sustainable development
oriented public listening. The people, providing them with and improving well-being
project has already handled more livelihood options including food, of the people. The project’s
than 1.3 million grievances online, shelter, and travel assistance main objective is to create
with around 96 percent disposal. a transparent, accountable,
Moreover, the project has helped during the COVID-19 pandemic. and responsive environment
in reaching to nearly 6.0 million Through this project, people for public services delivery
people, providing them with lodge public grievances, and they system steering the State
livelihood options including food, pass through an incisive analysis Government’s multiple public
shelter, and travel assistance leading to identification in gaps
during the COVID-19 pandemic.” in policies and service delivery welfare schemes for the larger
benefit of its people.
bottlenecks. The data analytics
Keywords: Action-oriented listening, are shared with policymakers Through this project, people
inclusiveness, Citizen centric governance, at sufficiently higher levels in lodge public grievances
Participatory governance, Convergence and they pass through an
administration to aid them in incisive analysis leading
Dr. P.B. Salim, IAS, (pbsalim@gmail.com) designing need based micro- to identification in gaps in
is Secretary, Monitoring & Coordination, schemes and large-scale public policies and service delivery
CMO, West Bengal
Mr. Debmay Chatterjee, (c.debmay@gmail. outreach programs. Enhancing bottlenecks. The data analytics
com) is Joint Secretary, Chief Minister’s people’s access to the government are shared with policymakers
Office, West Bengal substantially, 3561 Bangla at sufficiently higher levels in
Mr. Amitjoti Bhattacharji, Sahayata Kendras have been set administration to aid them in
(amitjbhattacharji@gmail.com) is Senior designing need based micro-
Deputy Secretary, Chief Minister’s Office, up across the state, providing schemes and large-scale
West Bengal citizens a comprehensive public outreach programs.
Mr. Mainak Mukherjee (mainak@nic.in) platform for people to interact Enhancing people’s access to
is Senior Technical Director / Scientist-F, with the government. the government substantially,
National Informatics Centre

April, 2023, Volume 24. No.1 - SHELTER 63