E CONNECTING VILLAGES

www.mp.nic.in/gramsampark

E-governance in rural administration, says the title of this website launched by the Madhya Pradesh government. The aim is to bring about connectivity among the 55,000 villages in the state. Because the site is in Hindi, it is sure to be beneficial for the villagers. It is based on the 11-point programme for basic amenities, making public extensive information relating to facilities, shortcomings and public grievances in every village.

This first-of-its kind website has been divided into three sections: Village view, grievance redressal and village watch. The 'Village view' section has info about resources available in all the villages while the grievance redressal section provides information about the basic facilities in these villages.

The site will also keep the villagers informed about

the status of programmes under the 11-point plan which includes ensuring proper functioning of the hand pumps, proper maintenance of defective electric transformers, distribution of regular mid-day meal, availability of essential commodities at fair price shops in the villages and availability of farm inputs to farmers. People can lodge their finance, credit and pension related complaints directly to the government through this site. Although village-wise monitoring of the programmes is being undertaken every month, the villagers may inform the government if they find any neglect or lapse in the implementation of these programmes. There is also a provision of submitting queries for them.

The last section titled 'Village watch' says that a nodal officer has been appointed in every villages whose job is to compile information about the programmes every month and then feed in the info at the block level. From here, it would be sent to the state government.

FIGHTING FRAUD

www.antiadulterationcell.com

This newly-launched site is a place where gullible consumers can register complaints against petrol pumps selling adulterated fuel. The site is being managed by the ministry of oil and natural gas's anti-adulteration cell. It says that all information of the person lodging the complain will be kept confidential and e-mail will only be accessesd by director general of the cell.

The names, designations, contact numbers and e-mail ID of the officials dealing with the complaints in northern, southern, western and eastern region are also given on the site. It says that the anti adulteration cell solicits the active cooperation of all law abiding people of the country in its effort to nab offenders. The cell also welcomes offers for voluntary efforts and suggestions for effectively improving the fuel distribution system.