Bhubaneswar: Taking immediate steps to help the needy, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi provided Rs 13.5 lakh to 14 persons for their medical expenses during the 11th public grievance hearing session held in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Official sources said that the financial assistance was provided to people suffering from chronic diseases and those unable to access the state’s single-window grievance system.
Over 1,000 persons had registered online for the session, where the Chief Minister and six senior Ministers heard the grievances. The programme was managed by Additional Chief Secretaries and Secretary-level officers, ensuring smooth proceedings.
After listening to the grievances, the CM directed Ministers and secretaries of the departments concerned to take immediate action. Attendees left satisfied after meeting the Chief Minister, who reassured them of swift redressal of grievances.
The CM began the session early in the morning by personally meeting differently-abled individuals and those with chronic illnesses who had been waiting outside to share their problems.
In response to the urgent needs of those suffering from chronic health issues and unable to access the single-window system, the Chief Minister provided immediate medical assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Those who compassionate financial aid for medical expenses were: Santosh Biswal (Nayagarh) – Rs. 50,000, Bishnu Charan Sahu (Jajpur) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Laxmidhar Sethi (Bhadrak) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Sattik Kar (Cuttack) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Naveen Kumar Sethi (Keonjhar) – Rs. 2 Lakh, Sunita Chaudhary (Mayurbhanj) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Prashant Kumar Panda (Cuttack) – Rs. 50,000, Nilakantha Pradhan (Boudh) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Yadumani Karmi (Boudh) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Saariya Nayak (Ganjam) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Indekiya Mandal (Bhadrak) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Kamala Nayak (Nabarangpur) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Kailash Palei (Khordha) – Rs. 1 Lakh, Suresh Kumar Jena (Cuttack) – Rs. 50,000. A total of Rs. 13.5 lakh was provided to 14 persons as part of this initiative.
Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said the public grievance redressal system has garnered increased trust from the people. “We continue to listen to the grievances of the public and take necessary actions for redressal. Our government is dedicated to supporting the poor and the needy. This initiative will also extend to regional levels in near future,” he said.
During earlier hearings, out of 10,234 grievances received, 8,713 have been resolved, marking an 85% resolution rate. The remaining grievances are still under process.
Ministers who were present during the session included Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, School & Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, Industries Minister Sampad Swain, Handlooms Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, and Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia.
The event was also attended by Additional Chief Secretaries Satyabrat Sahu and Surendra Kumar, along with senior officers from various departments.