Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha on Friday launched the Jammu and Kashmir Integrated Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (JK-IGRAMS) , in a bid to create an interface with the public and focus on governance issues in the Union Territory.
“It’s a step towards gaining peoples’ trust. JK-IGRAMS will be an effective grievance redressal mechanism, which is the life and blood of any good governance system. A common citizen wants a sympathetic, courteous, responsive, and helpful administrative set-up,” Mr. Sinha said.
Mr. Sinha, who took over as the Lieutenant-Governor on August 7, said his government is “committed to undertake all radical reforms to put in place people-centric good governance structure”.
First in three districts
The system is being launched on a pilot basis in three districts — Jammu, Srinagar, and Reasi — and will gradually be rolled out in the remaining districts by October 2. It will replace the current portal that was launched in 2018.
Mr. Sinha said JK-IGRAMS will make the existing mechanism more robust and efficient. “There will be a minute by minute status update of the grievances on the portal. If any laxity is found, we can talk to the concerned elders of the district and the concerned officers. Action will follow if any delay or callousness is found while addressing people’s grievances.”
District Collectors and Deputy Commissioners will be the primary nodes for receiving, disposing and monitoring grievances.
“It will be available round the clock with applicant OTP authentication, acknowledgement to applicant at each stage, feedback by complainant, and grievance submission through call centre by making a phone call between 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on all days except Sunday,” an official said.
The existing portal has now been integrated downwards to the district level by mapping nearly 1,500 public offices in 20 districts of the Union Territory.
The move comes at a time when a sense of disconnection and alienation has been growing among the people, especially in the Kashmir Valley, which has remained on edge ever since J&K’s special status was revoked last year.
Mr. Sinha has also directed district Superintendents of Police and Deputy Commissioners to be present for people in their offices from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. five days a week from Monday. “Similar directions are announced for the Divisional Commissioners and IGP’s of Jammu and Kashmir regions,” he added.
Earlier, Mr. Sinha had also announced the ‘Back to Village’ campaign, wherein officers will visit villages and address public grievances.
