india

Updated: Aug 15, 2019 13:56 IST

Odisha’s chief minister Naveen Patnaik said on Thursday he will launch the ‘Mo Sarkar’ or My Government programme on October 2 to make state-run hospitals and offices and the police more accountable and responsive to people’s needs.

After hoisting the national flag on Independence Day in the morning, Patnaik said under the ‘Mo Sarkar’ programme he will call up people and enquire about the quality of services being provided at police stations and hospitals from October 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.

“I will seek feedback about citizen-centric services given by senior government officers at both district and state level. Also, ministers of the state government will ask people about their experience at government offices,” Naveen Patnaik said at Bhubaneswar’s Exhibition Ground.

“If any rural household is deprived of electricity connection, then you can file an application at the local panchayat office and you will get electric connection within 48 hours,” he said.

In the next phase, all departments will execute the ‘Mo Sarkar’ programme by March 5, 2020, the birth anniversary of late chief minister Biju Patnaik.

Patnaik reiterated that his government has been elected to serve the people.

“The government is functioning due to taxpayers’ money. Thus, we have taken this important decision today,” he said, adding the decision was part of his 5T mantra - technology, transparency, teamwork and time - in order to bring about a transformation in the way the government functions.

Of late the Naveen Patnaik-led government has started several programmes with Mo or my in Odia as a prefix. The public transport service in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri is ‘Mo Bus’ while a beach cleaning exercise in cyclone-hit Puri was named “Mo Beach”.

A public bike-sharing system ‘Mo cycle’, through which can hire bicycles for a few hours started last year but has not found much patronage due to lack of dedicated cycling corridors.