‘Mo Sarkar’ Scheme: Odisha CM To Phone People To Know Grievances

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced a new scheme, ‘Mo Sarkar’, to ensure people-centric governance in Odisha.

“I believe this scheme (Mo Sarkar) would strengthen the relationship between the government and the people. It would bring about a big change in the lives of the people,” the CM said, while appealing to all to work together to build a ‘New Odisha’.

The ‘Mo Sarkar’ scheme will be launched on October 2 to coincide with Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary.

Hello, CM Calling

Addressing the state-level 73^rd Independence Day celebration at Exhibition Ground in the city, Naveen said, “I am your Chief Minister. I will personally make phone calls to you to find out the response you received at police stations and hospitals. Every day, I will make such calls to different people to know about their experiences in government offices.

“The government is there to serve the people. ‘Mo Sarkar’ is going to be launched to ensure that the best services are provided to the people,” he added.

Ministers, chief secretary, director general of police and other senior officers will also make such calls to the public to hear their experiences, he said.

The new scheme will lay greater emphasis on the bottom-top approach to governance, marking a paradigm shift in delivery of public services.

In the first phase, the scheme will be implemented at police stations and hospitals. Subsequently, all state departments will have to implement it by March 5, 2020.

Digital Push

The new scheme is part of Naveen’s 5T (Teamwork, Technology, Transparency, Time-bound and Transformation) initiative and aims to maximise digital delivery of public services.

“I am giving priority to people accessing different services sitting in their homes. All work should be done online within a year from now. It should be done at Common Service Centres. People need not have to make rounds of the tehsil, block offices, etc. anymore,” the CM said.

The CM said 5T will make the administration more accountable and responsive. “The people of the state are the key to the development and their suggestions are of prime importance for us,” he added.

Quick Electricity

Naveen said electricity has been provided to all villages in Odisha. He said if an individual household applied for power connection, it should be provided within 48 hours of the application reaching the panchayat office.

The CM also promised better healthcare for the people and instant justice against crime.

Following Gandhi

Paying tributes to the supreme sacrifices by freedom fighters to gain India’s Independence, Naveen said the country will celebrate the 150^th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on October 2.

Stating that the country had adhered to the non-violence principle of Mahatma Gandhi, Naveen said he has urged the Centre to incorporate the word ‘Ahimsa’ in the preamble of the Constitution.

This was Naveen’s 19^th consecutive Independence Day speech since becoming the Chief Minister for the first time in March 2000. It was also his first since winning a fifth term in office with an overwhelming mandate.