SRINAGAR: The district administration of Kishtwar had introduced the “Hello Kishtwar” initiative in 2023, which has now become widely recognized. This Platform allows individuals from all over the district to communicate with higher authorities and voice their concerns without incurring any expenses. The opportunity to engage with officials is provided twice a week, enabling residents to address their grievances effectively.
Dr Devansh Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar, told Rising Kashmir that the initiative called “Hello Kishtwar” allows citizens to communicate with the officers such as the Deputy Commissioner, Senior Superintendent of Police, Additional District Development Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Assistant Commissioner Development, Chief Education Officer, Chief Medical Officer, and Tehsildar Kishtwar to address their grievances.
“This service is available every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 AM to 12 PM only. The “Hello Kishtwar” initiative is fully based on Interactive Voice Response Systems (IVRS). If any individual from Kishtwar wishes to contact any of the nine top officials of the district to raise their queries, they must do so on Tuesdays and Thursdays. During this time period, these officials will be available in their offices, directly engaging with the general public,” Dr Yadav said.
During this conversation, he mentioned that these officials diligently record the grievances and queries of the general public. Once the call is disconnected, it is saved and we proceed to cross-check the queries of the general public. After the cross-check, the updated queries of the general public are posted on the official website of “Hello Kishtwar”. Additionally, an SMS is sent to each caller containing their unique Grievance ID. This allows the general public to conveniently track their grievances online without incurring any costs or needing to submit a written application.
“A voice portal has been established to provide citizen-centric information and address inquiries related to government initiatives. To access this service, users can simply dial the provided number and express their information needs,” DC Kishtwar said.
He said that Kishtwar is one of the largest districts in Jammu and Kashmir, where most of the people live in tribal areas and poor family grounds. It is not possible for everyone to visit the DC office in Kishtwar, write an application, and approach the concerned officials regarding their grievances on a daily basis.
“Since the launch of this initiative in April 2023, people no longer need to spend a significant amount of money to travel to the district headquarters in Kishtwar and submit their applications. This initiative has brought immense relief to every individual in the Kishtwar district who cannot afford travel expenses or physically reach the district headquarters to express their grievances to the concerned officials,” DC Kishtwar said.
He mentioned that every Tuesday and Thursday, the official remains available in their offices from 11 AM to 12 PM. This allows them to attend to the calls of the general public and listen to their grievances. The people across the Kishtwar district have appreciated this initiative. They are satisfied with the “Hello Kishtwar” initiative.
According to Dr. Yadav, this initiative breaks down all the barriers between the people of the district and the district administration of Kishtwar. The people no longer need to follow the traditional approach of meeting government officials in person. They now have a platform through which they can connect with officials from the Kishtwar district without the need for a written application or appointment.
“We are also providing the necessary steps to address the grievances of the general public, which have been raised through Hello Kishtwar platform. This platform is specifically designed for the general public to voice their concerns in their respective areas,” he stated.
Jia Lal, one of the local residents from the Kishtwar district said that most of the people from the Kishtwar district did not prefer to visit the district headquarters on a daily basis as they live in tribal areas. It is not possible for those people to travel a long distance and spend a huge amount of money to approach officials regarding their grievances.
“Following the launch of the “Hello Kishtwar” platform by the Kishtwar district administration, the grievances of the people are being resolved at the grassroots level. This platform provides an opportunity for the people to directly contact higher officials and raise their queries,” Lal said
He further said that even people residing in the forest areas of Kishtwar district can raise their queries with officials from the district administration without incurring any expenses for travel or transportation. Additionally, they are not required to submit a written application. Furthermore, they can track the progress of their grievances online and receive positive feedback from the district administration.
