FAQ on Grievance Redress Mechanism in Government of India

FAQ on Grievance Redress Mechanism in Government of India 

FAQ on Grievance Redress Mechanism in Government of India and the role of Department of Administrative reforms and Public Grievances, New Delhi, therein...

The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances is the nodal agency of the Government of India for administrative reforms as well as redressal of public grievances relating to the states in general and those pertaining to Central Government agencies in particular. The Department endeavors to document and disseminate successful good governance practices by way of audio-visual media and publications. The Department also undertakes activities in the field of international exchange and cooperation to promote public service reforms.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM IN GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AND THE ROLE OF DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS AND PUBLIC GRIEVANCES, NEW DELHI, THEREIN

Sl. No.	Question	Response
1	What is the postal address of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances?	Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, 5th floor, Sardar Patel Bhavan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi – 110001. Website: www.darpg.gov.in Tele fax – 23741006
2.	What is the organization structure of grievance redress in Government of India?	The organization structure comprises of the following nodal agencies for receiving grievances from the citizens : (a) The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.(DAR&PG) (http://pgportal.gov.in) (b) The Public Wing in Rashtrapati Bhawan Secretariat. (http://helpline.rb.nic.in) (c) The Public Wing in the Prime Minister’s Office. d) The Directorate of Public Grievances in Cabinet Secretariat. (DPG) (http://dpg.gov.in) e) The Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare.(DP&PW) (http://pgportal.gov.in/pension/) All the above nodal agencies receive grievances online through http://pgportal.gov.in as well as by post or by hand in person, from the public. The grievances received online in the Public Wing of Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Prime Minister’s Office and the DP&PW, also get converged in the http://pgportal.gov.in (For details please refer to Chapter 1 of the bilingual ‘Compilation of Guidelines for Redress of Public Grievances, August 2010’, accessible on Public Grievance portal as above and under ‘Rules and Manuals’ on www.darpg.gov.in)
3.	What is the mandate of the DAR&PG with regard to grievances?	As per ‘Allocation of Business Rules 1961’, the following work on grievances is allocated to DAR&PG:- 1. Policy, coordination and monitoring of issues relating to – (a) Redress of public grievances in general; and (b) Grievances pertaining to Central Government agencies
4.	What are the requirements for sending of grievances by post?	In cases where internet facility is not available or even otherwise, the citizen is free to send his grievance by Post. For this, no form is prescribed. The grievance may be written on any plain sheet of paper or on a Postcard / Inland letter and addressed to the Department.
5.	After redress, can the grievance be re-opened for further correspondence about it having been closed without details etc.?	No. In such situations, the citizen will have to lodge a fresh grievance drawing reference to the closed grievance, and call for details. Sometimes, the details are sent by post and mentioned in the final report. The postal delivery may be awaited before lodging a fresh grievance.
6.	What is the common framework for grievance redress in all Central Ministries / Departments/ Organizations?	Framework for redress of grievances in all Central Ministries / Departments / Organizations: Every Central Ministry / Department has designated a Joint Secretary or a Director / Deputy Secretary, as its ‘Director of Grievances’. He / She is the nodal officer for redress of grievances on work areas allocated to that particular Ministry / Department.
7.	What are the contact details of the Nodal Officers of Public Grievances in |Ministries/Department?	This list is accessible through- out the year on the Department’s website at www.darpg.nic.in and at www.pgportal.gov.in
8.	When was pg portal started?	Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) is operational since 1/6/2007.
9.	What is the purpose and objectives of pgportal?	Pgportal is an online system for facilitating citizen for lodging of grievances from anywhere, anytime 24x7. The system enables Ministries/Departments close monitoring of the grievances received for expeditious disposal and upload Action Taken Report. The citizens can view the status of action taken. There is also a feedback mechanism for satisfaction rating by the complainant of the action taken which may lead to further improvements.
10.	What type of Public Grievances are heard by the Department?	The grievances from public as well as from officers and staff received by the Department. These grievances may relate to deficiency in delivery of goods and/ or services by any Government organization, including service and personnel matters.
10.A	What is the system of granting personal hearing on grievances.	Forenoon of every Wednesday of the week has been earmarked for receiving and hearing of grievances by the Director of Public Grievances in person.
11.	What are the type of grievances which are not taken up for redress by the department?	(a). Subjudice cases or any matter concerning judgment given by any court. (b). Personal and family disputes. (c). RTI matters.
12.	What is the role of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) with reference to the grievances concerning Central Ministries/Departments/ Organizations?	The Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances is the chief policy making, monitoring and coordinating Department for public grievances arising from the work of Ministries/Departments/Organizations of the Government of India. The grievances received in the department are forwarded to the Ministries/Departments concerned. Redressal of grievances is done by respective Ministries/Departments in a decentralized manner. The Department periodically reviews the status of redressal of public grievances under CPGRAMS of Ministries/Departments for speedy disposal of grievances / complaints.
13.	What is the role of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) with reference to the grievances concerning State Government?	All grievances relating to State Governments / Union Territory Administrations and Government of NCT Region of Delhi, are to be redressed by the State/ UT/ NCT Government concerned. Citizens are advised to take up matter regarding pendency of their grievances directly with the State Government concerned. In view of federal principle of governance enshrined in the Constitution of India no monitoring is done by the DARPG.
14.	What procedures are used by DARPG to inform the aggrieved citizen?	On successful lodging of a grievance an acknowledgment is auto generated on the online system. A grievance received by post is acknowledged within three days of the receipt. A grievance received by hand is acknowledged at the same time After careful scrutiny, the grievances received in the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances are forwarded to the Ministries/ Departments/Organizations/State Governments/ UTs concerned for appropriate action. The complainant is also informed about the name and address of the officer and the organization to whom the complaint has been forwarded for action.
15.	What is the time limit for redress of grievance?	60 days as per Guidelines. In case of delay an interim reply with reasons for delay is required to be given. However, this time limit is not mandatory as the grievance redress mechanism is voluntary in nature.
16.	What action can be taken by the citizen in case of non-redress of his grievance within the prescribed time?	He may take up the matter with the Director of Public Grievances of the Ministry/Department concerned whose details are available on the pgportal.
17.	In case of non-redress of a grievance within the stipulated time of 60 days, what action can be taken against the officer concerned?	No penal provisions have been prescribed in the Guidelines relating to redress of public grievances. However, in case of any dereliction of duty it is the responsibility of the Ministry/Department concerned, to take disciplinary action against the erring official.

Source: www.darpg.gov.in
[http://darpg.gov.in/darpgwebsite_cms/Document/file/faq-pgportal.pdf]

Simplification of Procedure for Payment of Family Pension by Persmin

Simplification of Procedure for Payment of Family Pension by Persmin
The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions is the coordinating agency of the Central Government in personnel matters specially issues concerning recruitment, training, career development, staff welfare as well as the post retirement dispensation. The Ministry is also concerned with the process of responsive people-oriented modern administration. Allocation of Business Rules defines the work allotted for the Ministry. The Ministry comprises of the following three Departments.
Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT)
Department of Pensions & Pensioners’ Welfare (DOP&PW)
Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG)

During the year 2013, the Department of Persmin initiated to simply the procedure for Payment of Family Pension…

Simplification of Procedure for Payment of Family Pension
The Government has decided that an employee/pensioner/family pensioner may at anytime make a request to the Appointing Authority for advance approval to the grant of family pension for life to a permanently disabled child/sibling or dependent parents. On the basis of this approval, authorisation shall be made in the original Pension Payment Order (PPO) at the time of retirement or by issuing a revised authority. The permanently disabled child/sibling/ dependent parents will receive family pension at the appropriate time, i.e., after the death of employee/pensioner and/or after the death/ineligibility of any other member in the family who was eligible to receive family pension prior to the disabled child/sibling/dependent parents.

Where there are other eligible prior claimants to family pension, the names of disabled child/children/dependent parents/permanently disabled sibling will be added to the PPO issued to the preceding eligible family pensioner. Family pension to these permanently disabled child/children/siblings/dependent parents will be payable after the death/ineligibility of the prior claimant, as the case maybe.

Grant of Family Pension to the family of missing employee/pensioner
Family pension is payable to the family of a Government employee or pensioner after his death. Difficulties in payment arise when a Government Servant or pensioner goes missing. Clarificatory instructions were issued by the Central Government for payment of benefits in such cases. According to these instructions, the family must lodge a report with the concerned police station and obtain a report from the police, that the employee or pensioner or family pensioner has not been traced despite all efforts made by them. The report may be a First Information Report or any other report such as a Daily Diary or General Diary Entry.

The family can apply for the grant of family pension, amount of salary due, leave encashment due and the amount of GPF and gratuity (whatever has not already been received) to the Head of Office of the organisation where the employee or pensioner had last served, six months after lodging of police report. The amount of salary due, leave encashment due and the amount of GPF will be paid to the family in the first instance as per the nominations made by the employee or pensioner on filling of a police report and submission of an indemnity bond.

Source : CGEN.in
[http://centralgovernmentemployeesnews.in/2013/12/simplification-of-procedure-for-payment-of-family-pension-by-persmin/]

DARPG Orders - Simplifying of Self Certification of Documents like Marksheet and Birth certificate

DARPG Orders - Simplifying of Self Certification of Documents like Marksheet and Birth certificate

Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances has issued an order pertaining to simplifying the procedures of self certification provision.

No.K-11022/67/2012-AR
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances

Sardar Patel Bhavan, Sansad Marg,
New Delhi-110001, Dated the 10th May, 2013

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject : Self-certification

 The Second Administrative Reforms Commission in its 12th Report titled "Citizen Centric Administration - The Heart of Governance", has recommended, adoption of self-certification provision for simplifying procedures. (www.darpg.gov.in)

2. Taking a cue from this some Ministries / State Governments have adopted the provision of self-certification of documents like marksheet, birth certificate etc. by the applicants / stakeholders instead of asking for an attested copy of the documents by a Gazetted Officer or filing of affidavits. Under the self attestation method, the original documents are required to be produced at the final stage.

3. You will appreciate that the above method is citizen friendly and obtaining either an attested copy or affidavit not only cost money but also involves wastage of time of the citizens and the Government officials.

4. It is requested to kindly review the existing requirements of attested copy or affidavit in various application forms in a phased manner and wherever possible make provision for self-certification of documents, after obtaining the approval of the competent authority.

sd/-
(Sanjay Kothari)
Secretary to the Government of India

Source: www.icar.org.in
[http://www.icar.org.in/files/certification-21-06-2013.pdf]