Public grievance redressal has always been a key focus for responsive governance. Janaspandana-iPGRS, developed by the Government of Karnataka, aims to revolutionize the way citizens interact with state departments regarding their concerns and service issues. Introduced on Kannada Rajyotsava Day, 1st November 2021, this integrated IT platform ensures a paperless, transparent, time-bound, and citizen-centric grievance resolution mechanism.
This digital system acts as a bridge between citizens and over 40 departments of the Karnataka government, ensuring accountability, timely action, and feedback-based service delivery improvements.
Table of Contents
Salient Features of Janaspandana-iPGRS
- Digital Integration
- A single digital platform to submit grievances across departments.
- Seamless integration with Seva Sindhu, SAKALA, Suvidha, and BBMP services.
- Citizen-Friendly Interface
- One-time OTP-based registration using a mobile number.
- Easy keyword-based search for grievance categorization.
- Grievance mapped to the correct last-mile officer automatically.
- Feedback and Escalation System
- SMS notifications for every stage – from registration to resolution.
- Two-step grievance escalation is allowed if feedback is negative.
- Transparency and Accountability
- Action Taken Report (ATR) mandatory at every level (L1/L2/L3).
- SMS link to ATR sent directly to the complainant.
Key Services Integrated with Janaspandana-iPGRS
| Department/Service | Integrated Platform |
|---|---|
| Social Security & Pensions | Seva Sindhu |
| Employment Services | Karnataka Udyoga Mitra |
| Housing | Rajiv Gandhi Housing Limited |
| Land Records | Mojini |
| Property Tax | BBMP Payment Portal |
| Urban Planning | Building Plan Approval (BBMP) |
| Real Estate Projects | RERA |
Citizen Convenience Features
- Grievance Submission
- Citizens can lodge multiple complaints with one-time registration.
- Complaints can be about any of the 40+ government departments.
- Tracking Mechanism
- Real-time tracking using grievance ID or mobile number.
- Web portal accessible for status updates.
- SMS Alerts
- Automatic alerts for registration, processing, and resolution.
- SMS with ATR links for transparency.
- Feedback Collection
- Outbound calls to assess satisfaction.
- The escalation system is activated if negative feedback is received.
Citizen Representation System
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Filing of Representation | The Petitioner files the representation online as per the court order |
| Unique ID Generation | Unique representation ID sent via SMS to registered mobile number |
| Officer Assignment | Representation directed to a selected state government official |
| Action Taken Report (ATR) | The Officer submits the ATR, viewable online by the citizen |
| Accessibility | The officer submits the ATR, viewable online by the citizen |
System Governance and Monitoring
- Dashboards
- Live dashboards are available for departmental and district heads.
- Real-time performance data is visible at the iPGRS Dashboard.
- Review Committees
- State Level Committee headed by the Chief Secretary.
- District Level Committee led by District Commissioners.
- Regular reviews to ensure effectiveness and improvements.
- Training and Adoption
- Over 35,000 government employees trained.
- Continuous sessions with Heads of Departments and Deputy Commissioners.
- Feedback from officials helps refine the system.
Integration with CPGRAMS (GoI)
- Linkage with Central System
- Janaspandana-iPGRS is connected with CPGRAMS, the central public grievance portal.
- Karnataka citizens using CPGRAMS can directly route grievances to iPGRS.
- Status updates of such grievances are shared with CPGRAMS through web services.
Benefits of Janaspandana-iPGRS for Citizens
| Advantage | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Time-saving | Paperless and fast digital submission saves time |
| Accessibility | Available through web and mobile interfaces |
| Transparency | SMS alerts and access to Action Taken Reports |
| Accountability | The Escalation matrix ensures grievances are not ignored |
| Multi-department Reach | One platform connects citizens with 40+ departments |
| Feedback-based | Public feedback collected for each grievance resolution |
Escalation Matrix and Timeline-Based System
- Structured Escalation
- Grievances move from L1 to L3 if unresolved or if feedback is unsatisfactory.
- Defined Timelines
- Time-bound response ensured at every level.
- Helps prevent delays and ensures accountability.
- Quality Control
- State and district-level monitoring keeps the resolution quality high.
- Performance of officers and departments is tracked via dashboards.
Janaspandana-iPGRS in Numbers (as of recent update)
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Departments Covered | 40+ |
| Trained Officers | 35,000+ |
| Review Committees | 2 (State and District levels) |
| Grievance Channels | iPGRS portal and CPGRAMS |
| Languages Supported | Primarily Kannada and English |
| Feedback Integration | Enabled through outbound calls |
Looking Ahead
Janaspandana-iPGRS stands as a major leap in public grievance redressal by embracing technology and citizen-centric governance. This system not only ensures transparency and accountability but also enables Karnataka residents to interact with government services confidently and effectively. With its structured processes, multi-level integration, and feedback-driven improvements, Janaspandana-iPGRS is setting a strong example for other states in India to follow.
