Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to hold a meeting with officials of all major departments for the “speedy disposal of public grievances” on Monday amid murmurs that the notification for panchayat polls is likely to be issued in March and the elections could be held by mid-April.
“Secretaries of important departments like panchayat, agriculture, irrigation, labour, minority, public works and health have been asked to attend the meeting. All these departments have a direct impact on the daily lives of the rural populace. As the main agenda of the meeting is to redress public grievances, it appears the state wants to hold the polls at the earliest,” said a senior government official.
Sources said the chief minister’s grievance redress cell received complaints from ordinary people throughout the year.
Additionally, the Trinamul Congress also received several complaints over the past few months through its programme called “Didir Doot”.
“Redressing the grievances is a regular feature as the same are sent to the departments concerned to deal with them. The meeting holds significance since the chief minister took it upon herself to redress the grievances in a time-bound manner. It gives a clear indication that the rural polls will be held soon,” said a source.
The Telegraph on Friday reported that the state administration wished to hold the polls by mid-April before the scorching heat grips Bengal.
The sources in the state administration said redressing the grievances of common people was extremely important for the ruling party before Bengal would go to the polls.
“The ruling party is already facing an uncomfortable situation because of alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teachers to state-aided schools. In this background, redressing the grievances of common people is important for the ruling party to put up a good show,” said a bureaucrat.
Trinamul insiders said they were planning to use the Centre’s decision to stop the release of funds under the 100- day job scheme that left lakhs of job card holders in trouble to corner the BJP during the campaigning of the polls.
“But at the same time, people have grievances against gram panchayats, too. These grievances can be redressed with the active participation of departments like the panchayat. That is why the chief minister will hold the meeting,” said a Trinamul insider.
Mamata had earlier expressed her displeasure over the delay in redressing the grievances by some of the departments. So far, the state government has redressed more than 10 lakh grievances received through the chief minister’s grievance redress cell.
Redressing the grievances had played an important role in Trinamul’s success in the 2021 Assembly polls.
After the BJP had wrested 18 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Trinamul launched the Didike Bolo programme to get to know the grievances of common people.
“At that time, more than eight lakh grievances were redressed through Duare Sarkarcamps and direct intervention of the government. This had helped the ruling party regain the faith of common people ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls,” said a source.
As the state government has little time to hold another Duare Sarkar programme before the polls which are likely to be held by mid-April, all the grievances have to be resolved through the departments concerned.
The sources said the notification for the rural polls could be issued in March and the elections held by mid-April. Political parties will be given a window of two weeks for campaigning after the higher secondary examination concludes on March 27.
