TN govt tightens grievance redressal system, monthly reports made mandatory

Chennai, June 14 (IANS) In a significant step aimed at improving citizen services, the Tamil Nadu government has directed all department secretaries and district collectors to submit monthly reports detailing actions taken on public grievance petitions.

The move is part of a renewed push for accountability and timely resolution of complaints received by government offices, both in person and via email.

According to official sources, the state’s Chief Secretary has issued clear instructions to all departments to strictly adhere to the new directives.

The guidelines mandate that every grievance petition must be acknowledged within three days of receipt.

Furthermore, departments must ensure that the issue raised is resolved within a month.

To streamline the process and ensure transparency, each government office is required to maintain a dedicated register for grievance petitions.

This register must follow the format outlined in the recent Government Order (GO), which includes fields for date of receipt, petitioner details, nature of grievance, action taken, and date of resolution.

Officials have been instructed to document each step taken on every petition in the register. The head of each office -- be it a district collectorate, department headquarters, or local government branch -- must conduct a monthly review of the register.

This review is aimed at identifying any unresolved petitions and ensuring that they are addressed without undue delay.

The Chief Secretary has emphasized that no delays in submitting monthly status reports will be tolerated. These reports must reflect the number of petitions received, those resolved within the stipulated time, and the steps taken on pending cases.

The move comes as part of the state government’s broader strategy to make governance more responsive and citizen-centric.

Officials believe the system will improve trust in public institutions by ensuring that grievances are not only acknowledged but actively tracked until closure. The new regulations also serve as a warning to departments that have been slow or inconsistent in addressing public concerns.

With mandatory monthly reporting and accountability measures now in place, the government aims to foster a culture of timely and efficient grievance redressal across all levels of administration.