MKSS Public Hearing on grievances related to access and provision of electricity
3rd November, 2011
The MKSS organized a public hearing in the Bhim tehsil, Rajasthan on the grievances that arise in the access and distribution of electricity. The public hearing was attended the District Collector, Executive Engineer of the Electricity Department other Government officials and workers and the residents of Bhim.
The public hearing particularly focused on two pertinent issues. It highlighted the nature of implementation of the Central Government’s Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) its flagship programme to provide free electricity connections to BPL households. Personal testimonies during the public hearing outlined the range of concerns that affected people were having with the nature of implementation of the RGGVY, such as- inadequate supply of electricity, improper reading of the meters, electricity supply without corresponding billing, non supply of all components meant to be provided along with a new electricity connection, under the RGGVY, monopoly of private companies and their collusion with Government officers. Secondly, the public hearing highlighted the urgent need for a focused legislation on grievances faced by citizens over a range of schemes and programmes, and their structural redress. It was unanimously agreed upon that there is a need for a decentralized grievance redress mechanism, in tune with local concerns and needs. Modes of peoples participation like social audits, jan sunvais were cited as positive examples of monitoring the implementation of Government programmes, which need to be held widely on a more regular basis.
With reference to the above, the following resolutions were passed on the basis of a consensus arrived at by the participants of the public hearing, while welcoming the move of the Central Government to introduce a legislation on Grievance Redress:
1) Demand for a strong and independent District level Grievance Redress Authority/Commission that will be responsible for receiving grievances, imposing penalties on errant officials and award appropriate compensation to the aggrieved.
2) Demand for an independent Peoples’ Service Center at the Block level that will facilitate citizens in filing their grievances and complaints, issue dated receipts to acknowledge all grievances and complaints, track the status of grievances through an integrated system and be held responsible for escalating grievances not dealt by the Grievance Redress Officer within a specified time period, to the independent District Grievance Redress Commission automatically in the form of an appeal.
The participants strongly urged the Government to look into the resolutions, to solicit greater support for the proposed Grievance Redress Bill. The participants also declared that they would continue to engage in non-violent democratic forms of protests and struggle for the fulfillment of their demands.
Signed:
Shankar Singh, Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey
For the MKSS Collective
