
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) The central government Saturday launched an online consular grievance system to help the overseas Indians in getting their problems redressed in a time-bound manner.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj launched the MADAD -- help or Online Consular Grievances System - for registering complaints of overseas Indians facing various problems.
Such problems would now be addressed by the India Missions abroad in a time-bound manner.
A result of the joint efforts of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) and the External Affairs Ministry (MEA), Swaraj said, it will now enable overseas Indians not just to register their complaints online but also track its movement among the officials tackling it.
The overseas Indians could send their complaints in writing, which would be put online by the mission officials.
The online registration of complaints and their being attended to would considerably reduce the time usually taken for the same, a senior MEA official said.
The website has priorities for the complaint -- complaints concerning mortal remains is of very high priority, then followed by high priority, priority and likewise. Any complaint relating to "mortal remains" would be addressed within two days.
Swaraj said while the grievances of the overseas Indians came under the domain of the MOIA but its remedies lie with the MEA.
This disconnect, the minister said between the two ministries was coming in the way of people not getting the desired relief.
Describing the website as something beyond her expectation, Swaraj said it would also put the Indian missions abroad on their toes as any inertia on their part in dealing with the complaints would reflect on the website.
They would get red-marked on the website - a sign of negative rating, she added.
Swaraj said that "MADAD also fixes accountability and responsibility" as it was said that "it has booth incentive and disincentive. It is compulsory for the overseas mission to update to avoid being labelled as 'Red'."
She said that the online system and its regular updating not only places the Indian mission into competition but a person always "fears bad name from his own community".
Under the system envisaged, a complaint in the first instance would go to a consular in a mission and after a fixed duration of time if he is unable to address it, the same would escalate to his next higher officer and eventually reaching the ambassador or the High Commissioner.
All the complaints that would be made at the mission-level would be monitored by the CPU division in MEA and could eventually land up on the table of the minister, Swaraj said while inaugurating the website.
She said she received a good response from people during her Oman-visit when MADAD was being tried as a pilot project.
Actor Pawan Kalyan, who has proved his acting prowess in the cinema world for years, has started
Discontent has started in Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party since ticket distribution. Voices of pro
Jamia: The admission process started for academic session 2022-23, you can apply online from here
Jamia Millia Islamia: Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has launched its e-prospectus for the academic s
Will Nepal's PM KP Sharma Oli resign? Can address the country today
Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is likely to address the nation on Thursday. His address may c
Voting for the last phase of Lok Sabha elections is going on in the country today. Meanwhile, Con
The weather pattern in the country is going to change in the next few days. The Meteorological De
Today is the 14th day of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Russia has ordered a ceasefire in Uk
Frightened to recapture its power over Taiwan, China has again infiltrated its border. China sent
A suspicious IED has been recovered in Jammu's Sidra. It is being told that the suspected IED has
Gullak 3 Review: Gullak is a story of happiness and sadness and love with family, watch with family
Web Series: Gullak 3
Director: Palash Vaswani
Major Cast: Jameel Khan, Harsh Mayr