FORMAT FOR GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM

FOR THE MINISTRY

The Grievance Redress Mechanism for the Ministry will cover the three
processes of receipt, redress, and prevention with the following sections:

I. Receipt of Grievance

Information on receipt
Communications to complainant
Criteria for classification

II. Redress of Grievance

Time norms for redress

Level of responsibility for Redress

III. Prevention for Recurrence of Repeated Grievances

Analysis and prevention

Receipt of Grievance
Information on receipt

The information and facilitation counter is designated as Nodal Section for

receiving the grievances/complaints from the citizens of the country in general and
in particular from the service recipients of the Ministry. The Centre is responsible
for receiving the grievances, issuing the acknowledgement receipt simultaneously
and maintains the record in the format given below. In case of online system the
acknowledgement should be sent automatically.

To ensure that all relevant particulars are available for further actions to be
taken, full details must be recorded at the time of receiving a grievance or
complaint as shown below:

Particulars of Citizen /Client Particulars of the Grievance

Date of Name Address Landline/ Whether Subject Office Brief Date of
Receipt Mobile/ Acknowledge- of the descrip Acknow-
Email ment given grievance tion ledgement
at the time
of receipt
1 2 3 4 5 (Yes/NO) 6 7 8 9

Communication to complainant

At the time of acknowledgement, the complainant needs to be provided with

the following information:

a. Grievance number to facilitate monitoring and reminders by complainants.

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 b. Expected time of redress (Prescribed maximum time limit for completion of
redress is three months).
c. If not addressed within expected time, action to be taken by complainant

If the grievance is not redressed within the expected time, the complainant
should be provided with the following information by the person responsible for
receiving the manual/postal grievances:

a. Information on reasons for delay

b. Updated expected time of redress
c. If not addressed within expected time, action to be taken by complainant

At the time of final redress, the complainant will be provided with the
following information by the office responsible for redress of the grievances:

a. Action taken for redress

b. If not satisfied with the redress action, avenues for pursuing the matter
further

Criteria for classification

Different types of grievances or complaints need different responses or

ways to respond to them. Therefore, the grievance must be categorized to facilitate
action appropriate to the type of grievance. The Department of Administrative
Reforms and Public Grievances has provided five broad suggestive criteria, listed
below, under which the grievances can be categorized.

S. No. Criteria
1. Charter related
2. Policy related
3. Personnel related
4. Schemes/Programmes related
5. Vigilance related

Tentative classification of the grievances for each Bureau according to these

five criteria is given at Appendix-II. It may be observed that five criteria are allotted
the codes 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 respectively and the Bureaus are given the codes in
serial Numbers, i.e. 1 for SCD, 2 for BCD, 3 for Disability, 4 for Social Defence and
5 for PREM and Coordination Divisions. The Grievance Code would therefore be a
composite one, viz. 0111 would indicate the first charter-related Grievance
pertaining to SCD Bureau; 0121 to BCD Bureau; 0411 would indicate the first
grievance relating to policies/programmes of SCD Bureau and so on.

Redress of Grievance

A suggested flow chart for Grievance Redress Mechanism is given at

Appendix-I. Economic Adviser (Coordination) has been nominated as Director of
Public Grievances of the Ministry, who will monitor the disposal of the grievances
received directly in the Ministry – on line as well as through post or in person at the
facilitation centre – or through the CPGRAMS of DAR&PG.

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Time norms for redress

Based on the criteria listed as above, time norms for redress must be laid
down as shown below:

S. No. Grievance Category Time Norm for Redress

1. Charter related One months
2. Policy related Immediate acknowledgement within three working
days and substantive response within two months
in case the issue is being addressed. In case,
issue raised by the complainant needs a revisit of
policy guidelines, adequate response need to be
sent conveying that the issue raised will be
addressed at the time of next revision.
3. Personnel related One Month
4. Schemes/Programmes One Month
related
5. Vigilance related Three Months

Level of Responsibility for Redress

It has been decided that Bureau Heads (Joint Secretary level) shall be the
Nodal Public Grievance Officer responsible for regular monitoring and disposal of
grievances received in the Bureau either directly or through Director of Public
Grievances of the Ministry. Divisional Heads within the Bureau shall be designated
as Public Grievance Officers for the subjects being assigned to them by the
respective Bureau Heads. Bureau-wise list of Nodal Public Grievance Officer/
Public Grievance Officers is given at Appendix-III

In order to ensure that grievances are addressed within the prescribed time
norms, the GRM should define the levels of responsibility for redress of each
category of grievances and their time norms. In case the grievance is not redressed
at a particular defined level then an avenue should be available to the complainant
to approach the next higher authority. The responsible officials at each level alert
their next superior official well in time if a grievance is likely to exceed the
prescribed time norm. The next higher authority should call for a report to redress
escalated grievances.

They can take appropriate action without the complainant having to

repeatedly remind or pursue the issue. The table for level of responsibility for
Redress must contain the following information as applicable.

S. Type of Grievance Time line for redress at level Time line for redress
No of Divisional Heads At the level of Bureau
Heads
1. Charter related Three weeks One Week
2. Policy related Initial Response within three
working days. Substantive Two weeks
response within six weeks in
case the issue is being
addressed at present.
3. Personnel related Three weeks One Week
4. Schemes/Programmes One Week One Week

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 related
5. Vigilance related Initial Response within three Final reply within three
working days months

Analysis and Prevention

Grievances are viewed as free inputs to understand the expectations of

service recipients better and initiate systemic reforms to meet those expectations.
All Bureaus therefore must analyze why they are receiving particular types of
grievances more frequently than others. Such grievance prone areas need to be
identified and analyzed for bringing about necessary changes proactively.

A format for root cause analysis of grievance prone areas is as follows:

Date and Grievance Action Planned date

S. description prone areas Root cause Required and Authority Action
No. of Grievance identified Identified to Improve Responsible Taken date
System for
Taking Action

Director of Public Grievances will submit a Quarterly Report in this regard

with suggestions for modification in policy initiatives, delivery system,
organizational structure etc for the consideration/directions of Secretary and
Minister (SJ&E)

Periodic Review

Director of Public Grievances will put a system in place to call for monthly
reports on grievance redress from all the Bureau Heads as well as from other
Responsibility centers (Statutory Bodies/Autonomous and Subordinate
Organizations). The report should contain information regarding the status of
unaddressed/unresolved grievances. The Director of Public Grievances also to
review the grievances pending at his own level and with the Responsibility centers
periodically.

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 Appendix-I

 
  Receipt of a Grievance in the Ministry
 
  (FC & PG Cell) 
 
 
 
  Online Grievances received   
Grievances received through Post or 
  through CPGRAMS   in person by FC & PG Cell  
 
 
 
Nodal /Grievance Officer  To Forward to Respective 
 
  to scan the CPGRAMS to  Nodal/Grievance Officer 
 
  view the new grievances 
 
  Director Public Grievances to 
  forward the Monthly Report on 
  Action Taken Report pending Grievances to BHs Heads
  If not pertaining to the Ministry
 
 
   
Complainant
  Case forwarded to 
  Concerned 
Concerned Subordinate  Action Taken Report
  Ministry/Department  Org/ Attached Office  
   
 
 
 
 
Grievance Redress Flow Chart
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Appendix-II

Bureau-wise Classification of the Grievances 

S. Criteria SCD Bureau (1) BCD Bureau (2) Disability Bureau (3) SD Bureau (4) PREM & Coordination
No. (5)
Code Grievance Category Code Grievance Category Code Grievance Code Grievance Code Grievance
Category Category Category
I Charter related (01) 0111 Non-Compliance of 0121 Non-Compliance of 0131 Non-Compliance 0141 Non-Compliance 0151 Non-Compliance
Service Standards Service Standards of Service of Service of Service
Standards Standards Standards
relating to
redressal of
Public
Grievances

0112 Non-response from 0122 Non-response from 0132 Non-response 0142 Non-response -
Responsibility Centres Responsibility Centres from from
and Subordinate and Subordinate Responsibility Responsibility
Organizations Organizations Centres and Centres and
Subordinate Subordinate
Organizations Organizations

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S. Criteria SCD Bureau (1) BCD Bureau (2) Disability Bureau (3) SD Bureau (4) PREM & Coordination
No. (5)
Code Grievance Category Code Grievance Category Code Grievance Code Grievance Code Grievance
Category Category Category
II Policy/Legislation related 0211 Non-earmarking/ 0221 Inclusion/ exclusion / 0231 Provisions/ 0241 Matters relating 0251 Policy matters
(02) spending of sufficient amendment in the implementation of to National relating to
funds under SCSP in Central list of OBCs. the National Trust Policy on Older releasing grant-
proportion to SC Act Persons, 1999. in-aid to NGOs
population as per
Planning Commission
norms.
0212 Inadequate Subsidy 0222 Creamy layer for OBSs. 0232 Provisions/ 0242 Matters relating 0252 Identification of
component under SCA to implementation of to Maintenance priority Areas for
SCSP the PwD Act and Welfare of Evaluation
Parents and Studies
Senior Citizens
Act, 2007.
0213 Revision of Scholarship 0223 Central issues related to 0233 Provisions/ 0243 Matters relating Issues relating to
Schemes. de-notified, nomadic and implementation of to Policy on the Norms for
semi-nomadic tribes. the RCI Act Prevention of conducting the
Alcoholism and Research
Substance Studies
(Drugs) Abuse
0214 Revision of Rates of 0224 Social disadvantage of 0234 National policy for 0244 Issues relating to Allocation of
honorarium/ etc under OBC people. Persons with Beggary funds to the
the "Scheme of GIA to Disabilities, 2006 Ministry
Voluntary Organizations
working for SCs".
0215 Amendments to the PCR 0225 Non receipt of admissible 0235 Issues relating to Policy Issues System for
Act, 1955 benefits for OBC. UNCRPD 0245 relating to Monitoring the
Vayoshrestha Schemes
Samman
0216 Amendments to the PoA 0226 Non-receipt or denial of 0236 Issue of Disability 0246 Trends and Issues relating to
Act, 1989/PoA Rules admissible benefits to Certificates Pattern of Drug Gender
1995. persons belonging to de- Abuse Budgeting

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S. Criteria SCD Bureau (1) BCD Bureau (2) Disability Bureau (3) SD Bureau (4) PREM & Coordination
No. (5)
Code Grievance Category Code Grievance Category Code Grievance Code Grievance Code Grievance
Category Category Category
0217 Modification in the list of notified, nomadic and 0237 Revision of 0247 Issues relating to Formulation of
SCs & Presidential semi-nomadic tribes Schemes of Drug Abuse Annual Plan and
orders. Disability Sector Monitoring Five Year Plan of
System the Ministry
0218 Sub-Categorization of 0238 Issues relating to -
SCs. accessibility for
PwDs to
Buildings,
websites etc.
0219 Reservation in Pvt. 0239 Policy Issues -
Sector for SCs. relating to
National Institutes
0220 Preferential policies for 02310 Policy Issues -
SCs in Govt. purchases. relating to setting
up of new
CRCs/DDRCs
02311 Policy Issues -
relating to
Disability Awards
II Personnel related (03) 0311 Amendments of RRs/Pay 0321 Matters relating to 0331 Matters relating 0341 Matters  0351 -
Scales of the personnel personnel of National to personnel of relating to 
of Joint Cadre. Commission of National Institutes Administrative 
Backward Classes issues of NISD 
officials/ staff
0312 Matters relating to 0322 Matters relating to 0332 Matters relating 0342 0352 -
Administrative issues of personnel of National to personnel of
personnel of Backward Classes NHFDC and
Commissions and Finance and ALIMCO
Corporations working for Development
SCs and Safai Corporation
Karamcharis
III Schemes/Programmes 0411 Issues relating to 0421 Issues relating to 0431 Issues relating to 0441 Issues relating to 0451 -

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S. Criteria SCD Bureau (1) BCD Bureau (2) Disability Bureau (3) SD Bureau (4) PREM & Coordination
No. (5)
Code Grievance Category Code Grievance Category Code Grievance Code Grievance Code Grievance
Category Category Category
Related (04) Implementation of Implementation of Implementation of Implementation
Schemes/Programmes Schemes/Programmes Schemes/ of Schemes/
of the Ministry for the of the Ministry for the Programmes of Programmes of
Welfare and Welfare and the Ministry for the Ministry for
Development of SCs Development of OBCs the Welfare and the Welfare Sr
Development of Citizens and
Victims of Drug
Abuse
V Vigilance related (05) 0511 Issues relating to 0521 Issues relating to 0531 Issues relating to 0541 0551 -
administrative/ administrative/ administrative/
vigilance inquiries in the vigilance inquiries in the vigilance inquiries
working of Commissions/ working of NCBC/ in the working of
NGOs/Subordinate NBCFDC/NGOs/ NIs, NHFDC,
Organizations etc Subordinate ALIMCO and
Organizations etc other
Organizations
working in
disability sector
 

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