Kumar Bahukhandi
Principal Secretary of Urban Administration and Development Sonmoni Borah chairs a review meeting of Bhilai Municipal Corporation at Circuit House, Nava Raipur, directing officials to improve civic services, accelerate pending development works and make the city garbage-free before Diwali. Senior departmental and municipal officials participate in the discussions.Photo: channel24india.com via CG/ DPR
Principal Secretary directs municipal officials to conduct daily field inspections, accelerate pending construction works, strengthen waste management and ensure prompt redressal of citizens’ grievances
Key Highlights
- Principal Secretary Sonmoni Borah directs Bhilai Municipal Corporation to make the city garbage-free before Diwali.
- Municipal officials instructed to conduct morning field inspections and submit daily progress reports.
- Delays in public services and negligence in resolving citizens’ complaints will not be tolerated.
- Slow progress of construction works sanctioned under the 15th Finance Commission draws the Principal Secretary’s displeasure.
- PMAY-Urban 2.0 housing projects must address the needs of senior citizens, women, children and persons with disabilities.
- Preparations for the proposed e-bus service, water conservation and digital municipal services reviewed.
- Timely disposal of complaints registered through Nidan-1100 receives special emphasis.
Citizens Are Customers, Municipal Services Must Be Delivered on Time
Raipur: Sending a firm message that public convenience, cleanliness and administrative accountability must remain central to urban governance, Chhattisgarh’s Principal Secretary of Urban Administration and Development, Sonmoni Borah, has directed Bhilai Municipal Corporation officials to eliminate delays in civic services, address public grievances promptly and make the city garbage-free before Diwali. Chairing a comprehensive review meeting at Circuit House in Nava Raipur, Borah expressed displeasure over the slow progress of several pending construction works and instructed senior municipal officers to move beyond routine office reviews and personally inspect conditions on the ground every morning.
The review covered municipal sanitation, solid waste management, housing, infrastructure development, water supply, financial administration, digital governance and public grievance redressal.
Borah emphasised that municipal administration must become more responsive to citizens’ everyday needs, particularly when complaints concern essential services and basic infrastructure.
“Citizens are customers, and delays or negligence in providing services will not be tolerated.”English translation of the Principal Secretary’s statement in the supplied official release.
The Principal Secretary made it clear that timely service delivery and sensitive treatment of citizens should be regarded as essential responsibilities rather than optional administrative improvements.
The meeting was attended by Urban Administration and Development Director Nilesh Kshirsagar, SUDA Chief Executive Officer Sumit Agrawal and Bhilai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Suruchi Singh, along with other senior officers.
Municipal Officers Must Begin Every Morning in the Field
Borah directed zonal commissioners, deputy commissioners and additional commissioners to undertake regular morning inspections of their respective jurisdictions.
He instructed them to examine local conditions, identify deficiencies and monitor the progress of ongoing municipal works.
Senior officials of the Urban Administration and Development Department, SUDA and Bhilai Municipal Corporation attend a review meeting chaired by Principal Secretary Sonmoni Borah at Circuit House, Nava Raipur. The meeting focuses on sanitation, urban housing, water conservation, infrastructure development, revenue collection and timely resolution of public grievances.Photo:channel24india.com via CG/DPR
The officers were also asked to share their observations and progress reports through the designated official communication group so that corrective action could be initiated without delay.
“Officials must conduct morning field visits every day, inspect arrangements in their respective areas and share reports on deficiencies and work progress so that timely corrective action can be taken.”
The directions are intended to strengthen field-level supervision and ensure that municipal problems are identified before they develop into prolonged public grievances.
Daily inspections are particularly important for monitoring sanitation, road conditions, water supply, drainage and the functioning of essential civic facilities.
Borah’s instructions place direct responsibility on senior municipal officers to remain informed about conditions within their jurisdictions.
Make Bhilai Garbage-Free Before Diwali
Sanitation emerged as one of the principal areas of concern during the review.
Borah directed all zonal commissioners to ensure that Bhilai becomes garbage-free before Diwali, setting a clear deadline for improving cleanliness across the municipal area.
He reviewed the progress of works under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0, including waste management systems and the establishment and operation of waste-processing facilities.
“Make Bhilai garbage-free before Diwali. Accelerate waste management and processing works and ensure continuous monitoring of sanitation arrangements.”
The Principal Secretary emphasised that waste collection alone would not be sufficient unless accompanied by appropriate processing and effective monitoring.
He instructed officials to accelerate work related to waste-processing plants and ensure that sanitation arrangements are supervised regularly.
The directive comes ahead of the festive period, when the cleanliness of public spaces, residential neighbourhoods and commercial areas assumes particular importance.
The success of the initiative will depend on coordinated action by municipal zones, sanitation teams and waste management agencies.
Slow Progress of 15th Finance Commission Works Draws Displeasure
The Principal Secretary expressed dissatisfaction with the slow execution of construction works sanctioned under the 15th Finance Commission.
He instructed officials to identify obstacles delaying projects and resolve technical issues promptly.
Pending works must be prioritised, he said, while regular monitoring should ensure that construction activities are completed within their prescribed timelines.
“Pending construction works must be completed on priority. Technical difficulties should be resolved immediately, and regular monitoring must ensure completion within the stipulated timeframe.”
Delays in municipal infrastructure projects can affect the delivery of essential public services and prolong inconvenience to residents.
Borah’s directions therefore emphasised both administrative coordination and the need for measurable progress.
The review also underlined the importance of holding implementing agencies and supervising officials accountable for project timelines.
Housing Must Be Accessible to Senior Citizens, Women and Persons With Disabilities
During the review of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban 2.0, Borah directed officials to consider the needs of different sections of society while planning and constructing housing facilities.
He specifically emphasised the requirements of senior citizens, women, persons with disabilities and children.
The Principal Secretary instructed officials to ensure that housing projects are safe, convenient and suitable for all eligible beneficiaries.
“Housing construction must prioritise the needs of senior citizens, women, persons with disabilities and children. Homes should be safe, convenient and accessible to all.”
He also directed officials to expedite the disposal of pending applications and cases involving eligible housing beneficiaries.
The instructions reflect the importance of inclusive planning in urban housing programmes, where accessibility and safety are fundamental to the quality of residential facilities.
Preparations for E-Bus Services Must Be Accelerated
The review also covered preparations for introducing e-bus services.
Borah instructed the officials concerned to accelerate the necessary arrangements for the proposed service.
Electric public transport is an important component of contemporary urban mobility planning, particularly in cities seeking to improve connectivity while reducing dependence on conventional fuel-based transport.
The supplied departmental release does not specify the proposed launch date, fleet size or routes for Bhilai’s e-bus service.
The Principal Secretary’s instructions focused on speeding up preparations so that the project could move forward without unnecessary administrative delays.
Water Conservation and AMRUT Projects Reviewed
Water supply and conservation received considerable attention during the meeting.
Borah reviewed projects relating to water distribution, water conservation, the AMRUT mission and the maintenance of ponds.
He directed officials to protect existing water sources and plan for future water requirements.
The Principal Secretary stressed that urban water management must take into account both present demand and long-term sustainability.
Conservation of ponds and other local water bodies can play an important role in supporting urban environmental management and maintaining water resources.
He instructed the concerned departments to strengthen coordination and ensure effective implementation of water-related projects.
Revenue Collection, Green Bonds and Financial Management Under Scrutiny
The Principal Secretary also examined the financial administration of Bhilai Municipal Corporation.
The review included property tax collection, green bonds, electricity bills and other revenue-related matters.
Borah instructed officials to improve revenue collection and strengthen financial management.
Municipal revenue is essential for maintaining public infrastructure, financing civic services and supporting development projects.
The review highlighted the need for efficient collection systems and better monitoring of financial obligations.
Borah also emphasised the effective implementation of online citizen services, e-office systems and digital administrative arrangements.
These measures are intended to improve transparency, reduce procedural delays and make municipal services more accessible to residents.
Nidan-1100 Complaints Must Be Resolved Within Prescribed Timelines
Public grievance redressal was another major focus of the meeting.
Borah directed officials to regularly monitor complaints received through Nidan-1100 and ensure their disposal within the stipulated period.
He instructed departments to work in coordination and prevent unnecessary delays in resolving pending cases.
“Complaints received through Nidan-1100 must be monitored regularly and resolved within the prescribed timeframe. Officials should work in coordination to dispose of pending cases promptly.”
The instructions reinforce the importance of effective grievance redressal in maintaining public confidence in municipal administration.
A complaint system can deliver meaningful results only when grievances are addressed and citizens receive timely responses.
Borah’s emphasis on regular monitoring seeks to ensure that complaints do not remain unresolved because of administrative inaction or poor coordination.
Senior Officials Attend Comprehensive Review
The meeting was attended by Urban Administration and Development Director Nilesh Kshirsagar, SUDA CEO Sumit Agrawal and Bhilai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Suruchi Singh.
Additional Director Pulak Bhattacharya, Joint Director Mithilesh Awasthi and Chief Engineer Rajesh Sharma were also present.
Officials and engineers representing the Urban Administration Department, SUDA and Bhilai Municipal Corporation participated in the review.
The discussions covered both immediate civic priorities and longer-term development requirements.
Diwali Deadline Puts Bhilai’s Civic Administration to the Test
Borah’s directions have placed a clear responsibility on Bhilai Municipal Corporation to demonstrate improvements in cleanliness, service delivery and the execution of pending projects.
The deadline to make Bhilai garbage-free before Diwali will require sustained action across municipal zones, while daily field inspections are expected to strengthen supervision.
At the same time, progress on housing, water supply, infrastructure, digital services and grievance redressal will remain important measures of administrative performance.
The Principal Secretary’s central message was that municipal administration must be judged by the quality and timeliness of services delivered to citizens, not merely by the number of meetings conducted or instructions issued.
