Special cells for disposal of MLAs, MPs’ letters in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: In order to dispose of the letters received from MPs and MLAs, the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Odisha Government has asked its chief engineers to constitute special cells so that the grievances of the lawmakers about their constituencies would be solved soon.

PWD also asked them to submit a monthly report to it.

It took the decision after the Parliamentary Affairs Department wrote to it on December 15 last year asking them to constitute the cells and ensure that letters from MLAs and MPs are received and acknowledged and their recommendations, if any, is complied with.

The department has asked the concerned authorities to inform it about the MLAs and MPs letters and their recommendations in a prescribed form by 10th of every month.

PWD will submit these letters to the Parliamentary Affairs Department.

The concerned chief engineers will send the consolidated progress report to the department by 10th of every month.

In August last year, the Odisha government had directed secretaries of all the departments to constitute cells to address the issues raised by MLAs.

Odisha chief secretary had asked all the secretaries to send the monthly progress reports on issues raised by legislators in a prescribed format within a set time to the parliament affairs department.

In assembly, most of the MLAs had alleged that officers were not only misbehaving with them but the fact that issues raised by them were not being taken seriously.

According to the rules (Book Circular-47), officials should be courteous to MLAs and MPs and every official shall, in the discharge of her/his duties, act in a courteous manner and shall not adopt dilatory tactics in her/his dealing with the members.