Odisha launches WhatsApp-based revenue grievance system for faster, transparent redressal

Bhubaneswar: Citizens in Odisha can now lodge complaints related to revenue services directly through WhatsApp, with the state government launching a digital grievance redressal system designed to simplify the process, reduce office visits and strengthen accountability in revenue administration.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari launched the WhatsApp-based Revenue Grievance Redressal System on Wednesday at Lok Seva Bhawan. The facility has been integrated with the department’s existing ‘Ama Sathi’ chatbot and can be accessed through WhatsApp number 9437292000.

Grievances can be filed through WhatsApp

Under the new system, citizens can select the relevant grievance category, provide details of their complaint and upload supporting documents digitally.

Applicants will receive automated updates on the status of their grievances at different stages, including receipt, processing, verification, escalation, resolution or rejection.

Speaking at the launch, Pujari said the initiative would help bring revenue services closer to citizens and make the administration more transparent and responsive.

He said the department was continuously modernising its systems to keep pace with changing technology and make government services simpler and more accessible to the public.

Multi-level monitoring of complaints

Additional Chief Secretary Arabinda Kumar Padhee said the system would create greater accountability by enabling direct oversight of grievances by the minister, departmental secretary and senior officials.

Under the prescribed workflow, general grievances will initially be forwarded to the Tehsildar for examination and necessary action. Cases requiring field verification may be assigned to the Revenue Inspector, while matters requiring higher-level intervention can be escalated to the Sub-Collector, Additional District Magistrate or District Collector.

Defined timelines have been prescribed for disposal of grievances, while digital records will be maintained to enable monitoring and follow-up.

Wide range of revenue issues covered

The grievance facility covers several revenue-related matters, including land and land records, Record of Rights (RoR), mutation, Column 2 correction, land classification conversion, partition, encroachment and demarcation.

It also covers issues related to OLR Sections 22 and 23, Regulation 2.0, land revenue (Pauti), registration and stamp duty, disaster and relief, certificates and other related services.

The government is also considering digitising physical grievances received at government offices and bringing them under the same digital workflow.

‘Ama Sathi’ expands digital revenue services

The new grievance module builds on the existing Ama Sathi platform, which already provides several revenue services through WhatsApp, including mutation, land classification conversion, marriage and society registration, certificates such as caste, income and residential certificates, and access to land records.

A live demonstration during the launch showed citizens from Rayagada, Jharsuguda and Kataka submitting grievances through WhatsApp and officials processing them through the new workflow.

The state government had earlier expanded the chatbot as part of its digital revenue administration initiative. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the ‘Ama Sathi’ Unified WhatsApp Bot in February 2026 to provide revenue services digitally.

Subsequent reviews focused on strengthening the platform with real-time grievance handling, direct alerts to Tehsildars and monitoring by senior officials.

The government expects the WhatsApp-based system to reduce unnecessary visits to revenue offices, minimise dependence on intermediaries and improve the speed and responsiveness of grievance redressal, particularly by leveraging the widespread use of WhatsApp across the state.