Bhubaneswar, Aug. 3: Ahead of the monsoon session of the Assembly, the state government has asked secretaries of all the departments to address issues raised by the MLAs either in the Assembly or directly with them.

The government has also asked the departments to constitute a cell to dispose of letters received from MLAs and MPs and sought monthly reports. A coordinating officer for the purpose will be appointed in each department and will ensure that letters from MLA are received and acknowledged.

Chief secretary G.C. Pati has asked all the secretaries to send the monthly progress reports on issues raised by legislators in a prescribed format within a set time to the parliament affairs department.

"The department will send the consolidated progress report to the chief secretary by 20th of every month," an official said. The government is aware that delay in redress of MLAs' grievances leads to confrontation between people's representatives and the official machinery. The short monsoon session of the Assembly will commence from August 18 and continue till August 29.

Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra said: "The Assembly had witnessed chaotic scenes over the issue in the last session. The government has even constituted a protocol committee under the chairmanship of the ruling party MLA Nursingha Sahu. Apprehensive that there may be problems again, the state government has now issued these instructions."

During the last session, there were allegations that the Sundargarh police superintendent had refused to meet local MLA Jogesh Singh on the excuse of being busy. Later, speaker Niranjan Pujari had referred the matter to the ethics committee of the Assembly.

Most of the MLAs had alleged that officers were not only misbehaving with them, but the fact that issues raised by them were not being taken seriously.

Mishra said: "Though I get the answers to my questions, there is a complaint that officials do not respond to the issues raised by MLAs. This violates the spirit of the Assembly rules."

According to the rules (Book Circular-47), officials should be courteous to MLAs and MPs and every official shall, in the discharge of her/his duties, act in a courteous manner and shall not adopt dilatory tactics in her/his dealing with the members.

Chairman of the protocol committee of the state Assembly Nrusingha Sahu said: "The move will make officials more responsible."