Row over joint holding of DISHA, grievance meetings in state

A political row has erupted over the Haryana Government’s decision to club District Level Grievance Redressal Committee meetings, chaired by a state minister, with District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meetings, chaired by a Lok Sabha MP.

What DISHA monitors

As per guidelines issued by the Ministry of Rural Development to all Chief Secretaries on August 1, the DISHA Committee monitors 101 schemes of 37 departments, including: MGNREGS, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, PM-KISAN, AMRUT 2.0, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme.

MP’s objection

MP Varun Chaudhary said, “When a state minister sits along with an Opposition MP, it will be evident that the district administration will listen to the minister. Such instructions for joint meetings of both the grievance committee and DISHA committee are issued only in Haryana because 50% of MPs are from the Opposition. These instructions are passed to undermine the Opposition.”

He stressed that while the grievance committee deals with local problems, the DISHA Committee monitors Central schemes.

Ambala Congress MP Varun Chaudhary has written to Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, terming the move “an attack on the federal system” and demanding intervention.

The Ministry of Rural Development had set up DISHA committees, chaired by MPs, to monitor the implementation of flagship Central Government schemes at the grassroots. However, through a memo issued on July 3, Haryana’s Development and Panchayats Department directed all Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to hold DISHA and grievance redressal committee meetings the same day, with attendance of both chairpersons — the MP and the state minister — along with MLAs.

“The instructions issued by the Government of Haryana are against the federal system established by the Constitution of India. It is also not practical for a Minister and MP to be available on the same day, and the DISHA meeting lasts six to eight hours already,” Chaudhary said in his complaint to Chouhan. He warned that the move would lead to “non-functioning of the DISHA Committee” and undermine its core objective of improving infrastructure, human development and public welfare.

The Congress MP argued that the new arrangement is also against Union government’s guidelines. “The state minister elected as MLA from outside the district concerned, along with other members of the grievance committee, will attend and chair the DISHA committee meeting. There is no provision for the DCs to seek confirmation from the chairperson of DISHA,” he pointed out.

He added that the grievance committee and DISHA had completely different mandates. “There is no connection between the agendas of the Grievances Committee and the DISHA Committee. Besides, there is no provision for the Government of India to bear the expenditure of joint meetings,” Chaudhary said.