Bhubaneswar: In a move aimed at tightening accountability and ensuring time-bound delivery of public services, the state govt has decided to roll out an auto appeal system under the Odisha Right to Public Services Act (ORTPSA) by May-end.The system received Cabinet approval recently and is expected to plug the delays in grievance redressal by automatically escalating cases where services are not delivered within the stipulated timeframe.The decision was announced at a review meeting of ORTPSA nodal officers from 32 departments, held here on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by special secretary of the general administration and public grievance department Suresh Kumar Vasisth.Under the proposed mechanism, if a designated officer fails to provide a notified service within the prescribed timeline, the case will automatically move to the higher appellate authority, without the citizen having to file a separate appeal.Officials said this would ensure that applicants are not left waiting indefinitely for services to which they are legally entitled. “This system marks a new stage of accountability in public administration,” Vasisth said, urging departments to be ready for the rollout.A detailed presentation on the technical architecture and the current status of ORTPSA implementation was made during the meeting. The auto appeal system will be digitally integrated with departmental databases, officials said.They further added that the platform will also enable real-time tracking of file movement across departments, allowing senior officers to monitor pendency and response times more closely.Additional secretary of the department Debabrata Mallick highlighted that while ORTPSA has already brought uniformity and timelines to several govt services, the auto appeal provision would act as a critical safeguard for citizens’ rights.Apart from speeding up grievance redressal, the system is expected to reduce physical visits to govt offices, as citizens will no longer need to make repeated follow-ups or manually file appeals.
