Patna: In a heartening example of how the Public Grievance Redressal Act is helping citizens, a father who lost his son in a tragic train accident finally received justice after months of delay by an insurance company. The case highlights the power of the grievance redressal mechanism in ensuring timely delivery of benefits.
Kameshwar Prasad Arya, a resident of Anisabad in Patna, had been struggling to get an insurance claim following the untimely death of his son, Prabhat Shankar. Prabhat, who worked as a Panchayat Rozgar Sevak in Bakhtiyarpur block, died on 14 August 2023 in a train accident while on his way to duty.
As per an agreement between the Bihar Rural Development Society (BRDS) and HDFC Bank, insurance coverage was provided to employees under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). However, even after submitting the required documents on time, Arya’s claim saw no progress for several months.
Frustrated by the delay, Arya approached the authorities under the Public Grievance Redressal Act. The case was brought before the departmental grievance redressal officer, prompting a formal inquiry into the matter. The Commissioner of MNREGA intervened and instructed senior officials from both BRDS and HDFC Bank to expedite the resolution.
Following this directive, HDFC Bank released the insurance amount of ₹10 lakh to the account of Prabhat Shankar’s dependents, providing long-overdue relief to the grieving family.
Over 7 Lakh Citizens Benefited in 17 Years
This case is among the over seven lakh grievances successfully resolved under the Public Grievance Redressal Act in the past 17 years. The Act enables citizens to seek redress for administrative issues without needing to visit government offices physically.
Complaints can be registered online via the official portal https://lokshikayat.bihar.gov.in or the Jan Samadhan mobile app. Hearings are conducted face-to-face, ensuring transparency and direct interaction between officials and complainants.
