A Karnataka online grievance system is being planned to allow rural residents to register complaints about gram panchayat services, infrastructure and government scheme implementation, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar Khandre has directed.
Bengaluru | August 31, 2026
Khandre has issued written instructions to the department secretary to develop a web portal, mobile application and dashboard-based system through which residents can submit complaints, upload photographs and videos, identify the official responsible for action and track the status of their grievances.
According to the instructions reported by Prajavani, the proposed system will cover complaints related to e-Swathu, property tax assessment, social forestry, maintenance of lakes within gram panchayat limits, lake encroachments, the Jal Jeevan Mission, drinking water, sanitation, rural roads, Viksit Bharat Gramin Rozgar Yojana and the creation of rural assets.
The minister has also directed the department to establish a simple process for registering complaints and ensure that they are addressed within a prescribed time limit. The proposed dashboard is intended to provide information about the officer handling each complaint, including the officer’s name and telephone number, as well as updates on the action taken.
Khandre said the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department has direct contact with approximately half of Karnataka’s population through rural administration and services. He described responding to rural grievances as the department’s responsibility.
The minister’s instructions cited complaints reaching the department about shortcomings in works carried out under central and state-sponsored schemes, inadequate infrastructure quality, delays in services provided by gram panchayats and corruption. The government is treating these complaints seriously, he said.
The proposed platform is intended to bring greater transparency to the delivery of panchayat services and public works. Its coverage, however, depends on the department’s subsequent decisions on the portal’s design, complaint-routing process, response timelines and monitoring arrangements. The instructions reported so far do not specify a launch date, the number of gram panchayats to be covered initially or the department’s budget for developing and operating the system.
The system would combine complaint registration with a public-facing tracking mechanism. Residents would be able to submit evidence related to a complaint and follow its progress rather than relying only on in-person communication with local offices. The department has been asked to take steps to develop the application, web portal and dashboard, but further operational details have not been announced.
The next step is for the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department secretary and officials to work on the proposed digital grievance mechanism in accordance with the minister’s written direction. The timeline for development and rollout remains to be announced.
