Panchamithra: A boon to avail Gram Panchayat services

Mysuru: 'Panchamithra' WhatsApp chat service launched by Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj of Karnataka (RDPR) on March 3, has been a boon to avail details and services of any Gram Panchayat (GP) and register complaints related to it. However, the response is yet to pick up due to lack of awareness.

To avail the service, one needs to send a WhatsApp message to 82775 06000. Once the message is sent, they would be asked to choose between Kannada and English languages for the service. Later, a list of districts would be given with numbers corresponding to each district. If one enters the number corresponding to a particular district, they will be asked to choose the taluk and gram panchayat and village in a similar way.

Once a gram panchayat is chosen, they would be asked if they need information about gram panchayat like staff, elected representatives and profile of GP; meetings and revenue of GP; Self Help Groups in that GP limits or if they want to file RTI application (4(1)A, 4(1)B) or know its status.

If they want to avail any service they would be asked to choose among a list of services including tax due, RDPR service, 44 services of Nadakacheri or get any receipt. They can even apply and check status of application related to construction license, drinking water connection, permission for road cutting, no objection certificates, form 9/11A or 11B, tax assessment, license for business, establish an industry or unit of agriculture based products, MGNREGA job card or E Shram card and others. They can even apply for birth or death certificates, check or download them, avail services of Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyothi, Arogya Karnataka card, Aadhar card registration or rectification here.

'Panchamithra' Whatsapp chat service of RDPR to avail services of Gram Panchayats.

In case of lodging a complaint, they will be asked to choose among list 12 grievances like drinking water, property tax, MGNREGA, roads, toilets, street light, housing, form 9/11A, bridges, drainage, manual survey or records. One would be even given an option to upload a photo and location of the grievance like a pothole.

To avail specific service, people would be asked to register by sharing their name, address and mobile number. One should login by entering a mobile number with OTP received via SMS.

"Earlier, if one had to avail these services people had to visit Gram Panchayats or various websites or portals. This is for the first time the service has been made available through single window of whatsapp," Mysuru ZP CEO K M Gayathri said.

However, the response to Panchamithra is yet to pick up. The complaint lodged regarding various grievances would be directed to the web portal of IPGRS

(Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System) of the state government launched two years ago. Ever since the IPGRS was launched, in the State 17,776 complaints have been registered and 17,082 complaints resolved. In February this year, 905 complaints were lodged and 741 resolved. In Mysuru district, in the past two years 721 complaints were registered in IPGRS and 681 were resolved. In February, 32 complaints were lodged and 12 were closed.

After Panchamithra was launched on March 3, in March this year 728 complaints were lodged in the State in IPGRS and 242 were closed; 15 complaints were lodged in Mysuru district in IPGRS.

"We have been creating awareness by putting the information about Panchamithra on GP notice board, whatsapp status, in ward sabhas and gram sabhas. Some youth have shown interest, but the response is yet to pick. But the service is very helpful," said Aaditya, an employee at Alanahalli Gram Panchayat.