Improve service delivery system, says Rodrigues

Chandigarh, Jul 7 (UNI) Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Union Territory Administrator, General (Retd.) S F Rodrigues, today asked officers of the Chandigarh Administration to strengthen the mechanism of public grievances redressal and to improve the service delivery system for benefit of people.

The Administrator, who gave a patient hearing to deputations and individuals at the Public Hearing Session, issued necessary directions to the concerned officers to sort out their problems in a time bound manner.

Laying emphasis on development of strategies for empowerment of women and people in distress, General Rodrigues called for instituting counseling services in public dealing offices for guidance of needy people, who were ignorant of official procedures, to find remedy to their problems.

He said a helpline had already been started in the Empowerment Centre which was recently opened in the city and asked for further strengthening of counseling services by experts and social activists.

Expressing concern over the growing number of complaints in cooperative societies, General Rodrigues directed the Deputy Commissioner to initiate action within a week and start legal proceedings against defaulters and offenders.

The Adminsitrator interacted with the deputations from Chandigarh Transport Union and Shopkeeper Associations and Beopar Mandal.

While reviewing the progress of different developmental projects, General Rodrigues constituted a core group of officers comprising Secretary to Governor, Finance Secretary and Chief Engineer to find alternative sources of energy and promote the solar power concept in the Union Territory as a long-term solution to the energy problems.

He said that the process had already been started and asked the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, to study the scope of generating electricity from cow dung and also organic manure for agriculture.

He asked the Special Secretary, Finance, to set up a team of experts for running homes for mentally challenged, crippled and street children. He discussed the status of various housing projects and dwelling units for different categories and asked the Chairman, Chandigarh Housing Board, to monitor the progress and examine the feasibility of setting up a houses for low income groups.

He also took stock of the work on different components of Education City and asked for a detailed report. He emphasized the need of strengthening public-private partnership in this project.

UNI VKJ MIR AS2119