Maharashtra State Co-operation Department Enhances Online Grievance System for Housing Societies, To Begin From AugustÂ
Maharashtra State Co-operation Department Enhances Online Grievance System for Housing Societies, To Begin From AugustÂ
Starting next month, managing committee members of cooperative housing societies will be able to respond to grievances filed by members online, eliminating the need for physical visits to deputy registrar offices. This change comes after the introduction of the Sahakar Samvad portal in October last year, which allowed cooperative housing society members to file complaints online.
Previously, managing committee members had to make repeated visits to deputy registrar offices to submit their responses. However, with the upgraded portal, both parties can now file their responses online. Following this, the deputy registrar will issue a final order based on the merits of each case.
Since the portal’s launch in October last year, approximately 8,611 complaints have been filed, with 2,898 resolved and orders uploaded online. There remains a backlog of about 700 complaints. The portal allows citizens to file complaints in 23 specified categories, and the final orders of the deputy registrars are publicly accessible.
Housing society members who have used the portal have found the complaint filing process straightforward, receiving notifications upon submission. Despite this, some members have noted delays in the resolution of complaints due to late issuance of orders by the deputy registrar.
Currently, respondents must visit the deputy registrar’s office as their remarks are not uploaded online, nor are complainants informed whether their complaints have been accepted. The state cooperation department is working to ensure that both complainant and respondent statements are uploaded to the portal, making the process more transparent.
The state cooperation department mandates that all online complaints filed by housing society members be resolved within two months. Despite this directive and a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SOP) outlining timelines for various complaints, some complainants have reported delays and instances of complaints being forwarded to registrars without territorial jurisdiction.
Advocate Shreeprasad Parab, expert director of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Housing Federation Ltd, who has assisted with the portal, stated that the updated version will provide additional information about circulars, acts, rules, and bylaws, further benefiting citizens.
