Gujarat : SWAGAT Program Resolves 15.8 Lakh Citizen Grievances

Gandhinagar | Gujarat —- Over the past two decades, the Gujarat government has been at the forefront of strengthening the link between citizens and the administration. One significant initiative promoting good governance is SWAGAT (State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology).Since its launch in 2003, SWAGAT has received 15,84,535 complaints from citizens at the state, district, taluka, and village levels, out of which 15,79,002 have been successfully resolved.

Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has been effectively leading SWAGAT program and resolving citizens’ grievances. Held on the fourth Thursday of every month, the program lets the Chief Minister to personally listen, review, and take suitable action on public grievances. Notably, under his leadership, a total of 2,39,934 grievances have been successfully resolved over the past four years.

Bharatbhai Khodiphad from Mahuva in Bhavnagar district had not officially received ownership of his own plot of land. Mahuva Municipality had acquired nine acres of their land from his grandfather to allot plots to the economically weaker sections. However, the portion of residential land that was due to him was never handed over. The municipality had decided to allot this land to him for residential use back in 1967. 

However, the house on the plot was never documented because of his ancestors’ oversight. When Bharatbhai later approached the municipality to get the papers in order, he was asked to seek permission from the relevant department. Determined to claim what was rightfully his, he took his proposal to the taluka, then the district, and finally the state authorities, ensuring the house was officially registered in his name. Bharatbhai shared, “The Chief Minister heard my complaint and instructed the concerned officials to complete the land documentation. Because of his timely intervention, my long-pending issue was resolved, allowing us to process the loan for my children’s higher education.”

Under SWAGAT Online, complaints are addressed through four levels: State SWAGAT, District SWAGAT, Taluka SWAGAT, and Village SWAGAT. In the State SWAGAT, the Chief Minister personally listens to citizens’ grievances. In District SWAGAT, complaints are presented to the District Collector, while in Taluka SWAGAT, citizens submit their issues to the Taluka Officer or an equivalent Class-1 officer. In Village SWAGAT, applications are submitted to the Talati or Minister between the 1st and 10th of each month, after which they are included in the Taluka SWAGAT and addressed accordingly.

Citizens can also submit complaints to the Chief Minister’s Office in person, by mail, or by post. These are forwarded to the relevant department or district officials for appropriate action. In 2021, the Chief Minister’s Office launched the WTC (Write to CMO) online grievance portal, allowing citizens to submit complaints directly online. Through these initiatives, the Gujarat Government continues to ensure ease of living for its citizens by addressing and resolving their concerns efficiently.