Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today inaugurated the Chief Minister’s Public Services & Outreach Office, Raabita, at Canal Road, Jammu, aimed at strengthening the government’s outreach to citizens and addressing public grievances more efficiently.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Gulabgarh Er. Khurshid Ahmad, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, and other senior officers during the inauguration ceremony.
Underscoring his government’s commitment to inclusive governance, the Chief Minister stated, “It is the endeavour of my government to address and reach out to the maximum number of people and address their grievances irrespective of whether these are big or small.”
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister emphasized the importance of accessible governance. “After the success of Raabita at Srinagar, it was obvious that we shall have a similar facility at Jammu for the public,” he remarked.
Emphasizing the need for a citizen-centric administration, Omar Abdullah observed, “It may not always be convenient for a common man to visit the Civil Secretariat and so in that sense this office will serve as an accessible platform.”
He assured that “public grievances at Raabita shall be attended to and appropriately addressed in a time-bound manner.”
Highlighting the successful implementation of the Public Service Guarantee Act in Jammu and Kashmir and its gradual extension with the inclusion of more services and departments as a major achievement, the Chief Minister expressed his confidence that this new office would further bolster public trust.
The Chief Minister informed that officers and ministerial staff would be posted in the Raabita office to register public grievances both in offline and online mode, ensuring quick disposal and accessibility to this office for all citizens.
After the formal inauguration, the Chief Minister interacted with several delegations as part of the outreach programme.
Notable among them were Arun Gupta, President of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry Jammu; Nirmal Kotwal of the J&K High Court Bar Association; Navy veteran S. Lakhbir Singh; members of the Jewellers Association led by Aditya Manyak Kapoor; Lt. Gen. Rakesh Kumar Sharma (Retd.), President of the J&K Ex-Servicemen League; and the Managing Director of IDPS School, Sunjwan.
Discussions covered a wide range of topics, including issues concerning the Pandit Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust, challenges faced by local industries, the jewellers’ community, and the welfare of ex-servicemen.
Saurav Pargal, chairman of the J&K Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, also shared his views on the role of chartered accountants in Jammu & Kashmir’s development.
Several other individuals and deputations also met the Chief Minister to present their issues and demands.
The Chief Minister gave a patient hearing to each one and assured them that all genuine concerns would be resolved on a priority basis.
The visiting public appreciated the Chief Minister for launching this public outreach programme, stating that the initiative would make it easier for them to flag their issues, grievances and demands.