Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today launched 'Lok Samvad
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today launched 'Lok Samvad', a public interface programme aimed at taking direct feedback from citizens on implementation of development works and gaining new ideas for strengthening 'sushasan' (good governance).
Mr Kumar said it was a step forward to his earlier direct interaction programme with people, 'Janata ke Darbar mein Mukhya Mantri', which was launched by him after coming to power in 2005.
The programme came to an end in May this year with the launch of Public Grievance Redressal Act, through which a complainant could make representation against any pending work, which would then be solved by competent officials.
"I was contemplating about some mechanism after launching Public Grievance Redressal Act for direct interface with citizens to take feedback about developmental works directly from the grassroot point of delivery, and the 'Lok Samvad' programme has come up for that purpose," Mr Kumar said.
The first three Mondays of every month have been earmarked for this interaction programme, in which minister and officials of a particular department would be present to answer people's queries.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav along with other ministers and officials were present on the occasion.
Asked about the difference between the past interface programme and the present one, Mr Kumar told reporters, "The earlier one was meant to receive complaints of people for taking action, but the present programme is about getting their views on delivery of 'sushasan' and taking ideas on how to make them more effective."
"Many of the schemes started in Bihar have come from ideas I derived from public... for me lok (people) comes first," he said.
Mr Kumar appreciated new suggestions like putting up 'no honking' boards within 100 metres of hospitals and removal of all commercial hoardings which hide small boards in that vicinity, keeping toilets in government offices clean besides map in government offices for convenience of visitors.