(i) Designation of District Grievance Redressal Officer The Government designates the following Officers as District Grievance Redressal Officer (DGRO):
District Grievance Redressal Officer (DGRO) District/Region District Collector, Puducherry Puducherry District Collector, Karaikal Karaikal Regional Administrator, Mahe Mahe Regional Administrator, Yanam Yanam The Government shall, immediately on appointment or designation of District Grievance Redressal Officers,-
(a) give wide publicity through newspaper and other means about District Grievance Redressal Officers, including name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, facsimile number and other means of contacting him, in respect of each District/Region for which the District Grievance Redressal Officer has been appointed or designated, and thereafter, repeat it at regular intervals:
Provided that in case of any change in the District Grievance Redressal Officer, his address and telephone number, e-mail address, facsimile number and other means of contacting him, shall be suitably intimated to the public.
6 LA GAZETTE DE L'ETAT [PART–II
(b) display, at each Office of the Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Fair Price Shops, Schools, Anganwadis, other public places, website and at the Office of the Grievance Redressal Officer and the State Food Commission, the name of the District Grievance Redressal Officers, their addresses and telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, facsimile numbers and other means of contacting them, in respect of each District/ Region for which the District Grievance Redressal Officer has been appointed or designated.
(ii) Procedure for registering complaints
(a) Any aggrieved person may file and register his complaint with the District Grievance Redressal Officer in writing or through e-mail or by dropping their written grievance in grievance boxes at the Office of DGROs, Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and select fair price shops.
(b) The complaint shall be of non receipt of entitled food subsidy or non-distribution of food grains or meals under Chapter II of the NFSA or of the quality of the foodgrains or matters relating thereof.
(c) The complaint boxes shall be opened at 4:00 pm everyday to retrieve the complaints and immediate action shall be taken for their redressal.
(d) Complaints shall be filled with specific details and contact information of the complainant. No anonymous complaint shall be entertained.
(e) Where a complainant is unable to make a complaint is unable to make a complaint in writing, the DGRO shall render all reasonable assistance to the person making the request orally to reduce the same in writing.
(f) All complaints shall be assigned unique complaint number with date and informed to the complainant.
(iii) Procedure for disposal of complaints
(a) For every complaint received, the DGRO shall verify whether there is a primafacie substance in the complaint to proceed in the matter.
7PART–II] LA GAZETTE DE L'ETAT
(b) If, the DGRO is satisfied, that there is prima-facie substance in the complaint, he shall seek explanation in the matter from Concerned Officer or person or agency against whom complaint has been made, along with relevant documents.
The requisite explanation and documents shall be furnished by the Concerned Officer or person or agency against whom complaint has been made, to the DGRO, within fifteen days.
(c) Based on the explanation of Concerned Officer or person or agency against whom complaint has been made, and the available documents, if, the DGRO is satisfied about the veracity of the grievance, he shall issue necessary order for its redressal within thirty days from the date of receipt of the compliant. DGRO shall dismiss the complaint, in case, no merit is found.
(d) If, the DGRO feels that the matter needs to be further examined, he may:
(i) get the matter enquired by a suitable Officer of the State Government at District level and decide on the basis of report so received within 45 days from the date of receipt of the complaint, or
(ii) if considered necessary, give an opportunity to the complainant and officer/person/agency concerned with the complaint, to present their case on a fixed date and after having heard them and taking into consideration the evidences submitted, decide the matter within 45 days from the date of receipt of the complaint.
(e) On the date fixed for hearing, if, the complainant is absent, the DGRO may dismiss the complaint or proceed to enquire the matter ex parte and decide. If, however, the officer/person/agency concerned with the complaint, called by the DGRO is absent on the date fixed by him, he may proceed to enquire the matter ex parte and decide.
(f) The complainant shall be informed of the decision on his complaint in writing or through electronic mode if, the complaint was made in electronic mode, with a system for confirmation of its receipt by complainant.
8 LA GAZETTE DE L'ETAT [PART–II
(g) If, the DGRO is of the opinion that the disposal of the complaints requires more time than prescribed under clauses (3) and (5) above, the complainant shall be sent an interim reply citing the reasons for delay.
(iv) Powers of District Grievance Redressal Officer The DGRO, while enquiring into complaints, shall have powers to require any concerned officials/persons at District/ Field level -
(a) to produce before, and allow to be examined such books, accounts, documents or any other material in custody or under control of the persons so required as may be specified in the requisition.
(b) to furnish such information as may be required.
(v) Monitoring the disposal of complaints Disposal of complaints shall be monitored by the Secretary (Civil supplies and Consumer Affairs), Puducherry at least once in every quarter.
(vi) Appeal Any complainant or the officer or person or agency against whom any order has been passed by the DGRO, who is not satisfied with the redressal or grievance, may file an appeal against such order before the State Food Commission, within thirty days from the date of the issuance of the order by the DGRO.
(vii) Periodical Reports DGRO shall send a monthly report on complaints received and disposed of by him to the Secretary (Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs) by 15th of the succeeding month.