Ministers to hold one-hour meeting with public daily

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 24

Realising the “disenchantment” of residents with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the city, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Cabinet ministers and officers are going to meet people “without appointments” at their offices between 10 am and 11 am from Monday to Friday.

Admitting that the government is losing connect with the people, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Chief Minister has directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that all officers barring those having field duties will mandatorily meet people without appointments to address their grievances.

“Public disconnect with governance is coming to fore. People want to meet ministers and officers. Ministers had been meeting earlier too, but henceforth all ministers and officers, excluding those on field, will meet residents without prior fixed meetings,” said Sisodia addressing the media here.

In a notice issued, Kejriwal said he has come across complaints from people that officers are not “easily accessible” so they shall be “present on their seats between 10 am and 11 am, meet people without appointments and solve their grievances”.

The Chief Secretary has also been directed to issue a phone number for residents to complaint in case any officer is unavailable during the stipulated time. “No excuses will be acceptable and any exemption will be granted only in case of medical leave or otherwise. Officer has to seek permission over phone from his senior who in turn shall inform the minister,” said the Sisodia.

He said orders have also been issued to ensure no in-house meetings are scheduled by ministers or senior officers during that time to enable field officials, like SDM or zonal officials, to attend to the grievances of people in the city.

Noting that if field officials meet people, most of the problems are resolved, Sisodia added that orders have been issued and the move is likely to be implemented from June 1 after arrangements are put in place.

The decision to hold regular weekly public meetings assumes significance coming close on the heels of successive jolts in the form of “below expectations” show in the recent elections in Delhi, Punjab and Goa and most recently serious allegations of “money laundering” against Kejriwal and his colleagues by a rebel leader, Kapil Mishra, throwing the AAP into one of its worst crisis.