- Principal Secretary of the Urban Administration Department reviews the functioning of Raipur Municipal Corporation
- Emphasis on ‘Ease of Living’ and citizen-centric administration
- Displeasure over evasive answers regarding PM Awas (housing) scheme; stated that substandard work and negligence in housing for the poor will not be tolerated
- Dissatisfaction expressed over poor sanitation; strict instructions issued after showing photographs of filth
Shri Sonmani Borah, Principal Secretary of the Urban Administration and Development Department, reviewed the operations of the Raipur Municipal Corporation today. During a meeting held at the New Rest House in Raipur’s Civil Lines area, he emphasized the importance of ‘Ease of Living’ and citizen-centric administration in the city. He directed officials to treat citizens as customers and to execute tasks related to civic amenities with a sense of priority and accountability. Nilesh Kshirsagar (Director, Urban Administration Department), Sumeet Agrawal (CEO, SUDA), and Sambit Mishra (Commissioner, Raipur Municipal Corporation) were also present at the review meeting.
Principal Secretary Borah expressed displeasure with officials over their evasive responses regarding the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). He stated that substandard work and negligence in housing projects for the poor would not be tolerated and warned against any laxity in these tasks. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the city’s poor sanitation system. By showing photographs of filth in the city to municipal officials, he issued strict instructions to establish a robust and effective sanitation system. He further directed that show-cause notices be issued to two officials for negligence in their duties.
- Principal Secretary Borah displeased; sternly reprimands officials
During the review meeting, Principal Secretary Shri Sonmani Borah expressed displeasure regarding the progress of centrally sponsored flagship schemes and sternly reprimanded the officials. He took the Zonal Commissioners and engineers to task, advising them to improve their performance and ensure progress in their work. He warned officials to be prepared for strict action if the expected progress was not achieved. He also instructed Zonal Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, and Additional Commissioners to conduct daily morning inspections and share the reports in the designated group.
Expressing deep displeasure over the poor state of health services in the Raipur Municipal Corporation, Mr. Bora stated that negligence regarding health services would not be tolerated under any circumstances. He directed that these services be monitored through the installation of CCTV cameras. He remarked that such laxity in implementing the ambitious schemes of the State and Central governments was unacceptable. He issued strict instructions for the monitoring and execution of these projects to be overseen at the headquarters level. He added that he would ensure necessary measures were taken to streamline the work of Zonal Commissioners and engineers at the zonal level.
During the review meeting, when Principal Secretary Mr. Bora questioned the Zonal Commissioner of Zone-8, Mrs. Rajeshwari Patel, about the PM Awas Yojana, she was unable to provide an answer. The Principal Secretary appeared visibly annoyed, remarking that if the Zonal Commissioner herself lacked information about the scheme, he could well gauge the extent of its progress.
The Principal Secretary directed that a show-cause notice be issued to Mr. Yogesh Kadu, the In-charge Executive Engineer of the Raipur Municipal Corporation, regarding delays in tenders on the GeM portal. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress of works under the ‘Nagarotthan Yojana’ and ordered the issuance of a show-cause notice to Superintending Engineer Mr. Imran Khan.
Addressing the meeting, Principal Secretary Mr. Bora stated that the Urban Administration Department should treat citizens like consumers—much like a customer expects a shopkeeper to provide the right goods on time and address grievances with courtesy. He cited examples of online shopping platforms and airline companies to illustrate his point.
Mr. Bora issued directives to accelerate all construction projects, including those under the Chief Minister’s Nagarotthan Yojana (Urban Development Scheme), infrastructure funds, and the 15th Finance Commission. He emphasized that tangible progress in the work should be visible every quarter. He instructed the corporation’s engineers and officials to work with a clear vision and prepare a roadmap for upcoming projects. He stressed the importance of maintaining quality and adhering to timelines. Regarding the new Nalanda complex being constructed in Raipur, Mr. Bora directed officials to ensure a modern facility with high-standard amenities, while rectifying the shortcomings of the old Nalanda complex. He also mandated that all necessary facilities for Divyangjan (persons with disabilities) be incorporated into the new building.
Mr. Bora directed that energy-efficient technologies be adopted to reduce electricity consumption at the water treatment and sewage treatment plants operated by the corporation. He advocated for the use of digital and modern technologies to deliver public amenities, provide necessary documents to citizens, and streamline revenue collection. These measures would enhance citizen convenience and ensure faster access to civic services.
The Principal Secretary instructed that the rejuvenation and beautification work of Raipur’s Sheetla Talab (pond)—undertaken as part of Mission AMRUT 2.0—be completed by the coming March. He also [ordered] deepening…He directed that progress be ensured according to the timeline for works such as pitching and paver-block installation. He also instructed that citizens’ grievances received via ‘Nidaan-1100’ be resolved in a timely manner. The meeting was attended by Mr. Pulak Bhattacharya, Additional Director of the Urban Administration and Development Department; Mr. S.K. Sundrani, Joint Director of the Raipur Regional Office; and Mr. Rajesh Sharma, Chief Engineer; as well as all Additional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, and Engineers of the Raipur Municipal Corporation, and Commissioners from all zones.