Kerala govt to launch citizen response programme for welfare and development feedback

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday decided to launch an ambitious public outreach and feedback initiative titled Nava Keralam - Citizen Response Programme to assess and strengthen welfare and development schemes across the State.

In a statement from the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, it said the programme will run from January 1 to February 28, 2026, and aims to build a structured dialogue between citizens and the administration.

The initiative will focus on gathering development suggestions, identifying local needs, evaluating welfare programmes, and collecting feedback to improve their efficiency.

Inputs will also be sought on the performance of other government schemes and infrastructure projects.

The programme will be carried out through the State’s social volunteer network, ensuring broad participation from communities at the grassroots level.

Necessary preparatory work, including training sessions and awareness drives, will be conducted before the launch.

To guide and oversee implementation, the government has decided to constitute a four-member State Advisory Committee and a State Executive Committee.

Committees will also be formed at the panchayat, municipality, corporation, assembly constituency and district levels, comprising officials and subject experts.

The Director of the Information and Public Relations Department has been tasked with coordinating this effort.

The State Advisory Committee includes Chief Secretary E. Jayathilak, Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister K.M. Abraham, IMG Director K. Jayakumar, and IIM Kozhikode Professor Saji Gopinath.

Officials said the exercise is designed to produce a comprehensive study report capturing regional development priorities, identifying gaps in existing projects, and collating actionable recommendations from the public.

The report will serve as a reference document to shape future development planning and fine-tune welfare delivery.

By integrating citizen feedback with administrative planning, the government hopes to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability in welfare governance - turning development programmes into more participatory and locally responsive initiatives.

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The Hans India