Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday signed up on petitions website Change.org as a decision maker. Users can direct their petitions to verified decision makers on the website, who can then publicly respond to them.
Launching his profile on Wednesday, Fadnavis said he would now be “officially engaging and responding to petitions”.
He also responded to the first petition he received, which sought more transparency in caesarean deliveries in hospitals. The petition asked for hospitals to mandatorily declare how many caesarean deliveries they make, and action to be taken against those with an abnormally high rate of such births.
“We will set up a joint committee to create Standard Operating Procedures,” Fadnavis wrote. “The committee will consider what is required to be done – whether it is an SOP or change in law at the earliest.”
He added: “For any petition that comes on Change.org that is related to the government of Maharashtra we will always be on the side of the people. We will be proactive and take decisions as early as possible.”
Union Minister Maneka Gandhi also has a verified decision maker profile on the website, as do global leaders including Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!