Patna: The deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, carried out an unannounced inspection of the state’s Revenue and Land Reforms Department on Thursday after repeated calls to its public grievance helpline went unanswered.
The department operates a toll-free number, 1800-345-6215, intended to provide quick redress for land and revenue-related complaints. Sinha, who also holds the revenue portfolio, said he had personally tried calling the number multiple times without success, raising concerns about the functioning of the system.
According to officials, Sinha arrived unexpectedly at the office overseeing the helpline, leaving staff visibly unsettled. During the inspection, he questioned officials about why the phone had not been answered since morning, saying he had attempted to contact the service at least 10 times.
Sinha expressed strong dissatisfaction, describing the situation as administrative negligence. He said that if the helpline itself was non-functional, it undermined the government’s stated aim of providing accessible and timely grievance redress to the public. The service, he added, should not exist merely “on paper”.
The deputy chief minister directed officials to immediately resolve any technical issues and ensure that the call centre operates round the clock. He warned that repeated complaints about the helpline in future would result in strict action against those responsible.
Sinha said the state government’s priority was to ensure transparency and prompt public service, particularly in sensitive areas such as land and revenue administration.
