Grievance Redressal Mechanism

Ministry of Agriculture & Forests (MoAF)

2017

 Table of Content

1. Background .......................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 3
3. Objective .............................................................................................................................................. 3
4. Commencement ................................................................................................................................... 4
5. Scope and applicability ........................................................................................................................ 4
6. Types of HR Grievances ...................................................................................................................... 4
7. Existing measures in handling/minimizing HR Grievances ................................................................ 4
8. Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC) .............................................................................................. 4
8.2 Composition of the Grievance Redressal Committee ............................................................................ 5
9. Procedures for handling Grievances .................................................................................................... 5
9.1 Informal procedure .......................................................................................................................... 5
9.2 Formal procedure ................................................................................................................................... 6
10. Grievance Redressal Mechanism flow chart .................................................................................... 7
11. Procedure to file a complaint/Grievances ........................................................................................ 8
12. Terms of Reference for the GRC Members ..................................................................................... 9
13. Terms of Reference for the HR focal ............................................................................................... 9
Abbreviations and Acronyms .................................................................................................................... 10

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 Grievance Redressal Mechanism

1. Background

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests is one of the largest Ministries in the country with four
Departments, four non-departmental agencies and the Secretariat with RNR staff serving in all
the Dzongkhags and Gewogs. The Human Resource Division, to the best of its ability, tries to
ensure fair and equitable distribution of training opportunities and looks into the welfare of its
staff but due to the sheer number of the staff employed and spread through the country, some
grievances or issues seems to remain unaddressed. Owing to the importance of the principle of
fairness and equitable distribution in every human resource action, the Ministry focus in having a
uniform system in place to deal with grievance related to human resource actions.

The ‘Integrity Diagnosis’ conducted by the Anti-Corruption Commission in September, 2016

revealed that of the 118 employee-respondents from the Secretariat, Department of Forest & park
Services (DoFPS), Department of Agriculture (DoA), Department of Agriculture Marketing &
Cooperatives (DAMC) and National Biodiversity Center (NBC), the Organizational Integrity
score of the Ministry was at 85.13. From the 4 integrity pillars, the Ministry scored highest in
Compass with 21.89/25 against lowest score at 20.72/25 in Control. On the score obtained by the
agency, the National Biodiversity Center topped the list with 97.93 and the Secretariat stands at
the lowest rank with 79.23 score.

From the identified integrity parameters used for the diagnosis, clear vision, obedience to laws
and rules; and respectful and responsive members received top three highest scores which
brought the overall score of the Ministry at 81. However, Access to Grievance Redress Channel
scored the lowest at 75.59 which reminded the Ministry to have proper Grievance Redressal
Mechanism in place. Thus, the need for a Grievance Redressal Mechanism in Human resources
is being proposed.
 2. Introduction

Grievance Redress Mechanism is an integral part of the human resource management and its
administration. No administration can claim to be accountable, responsive and user-friendly
unless it has established an efficient and effective grievance redress mechanism. In fact,
Grievance Redressal mechanisms are increasingly important for an organization which manage
and administer huge number of employees. Although there are Rules and Regulations which
governs the employee civil servants but due to inadequate grievance redressal mechanism
process in the Rules and Regulations, it has failed to come to the rescue of those affected civil
servants. Thus, the need to formulate Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) in the Renewal
Natural Resources (RNR) Sector is felt necessary.

‘Grievance’ for this purpose would mean a formal notice of an individual civil servants’
dissatisfaction related to training, promotion, job requirements, working conditions, and any
other reasonable human resource matters. Instituting a proper channel of Grievance Redressal
Mechanism would encourage employees to raise concerns without fear of reprisal, prevent minor
disgruntlements developing into infectious grievances, and assure motivated staff and efficient
service delivery.

3. Objective

The overall objective of establishing grievance redressal mechanism is to provide easily

accessible mechanism for settlement of grievances and to adopt measures to ensure expeditious
settlement of grievances of civil servants leading to increased satisfaction on the job and
resulting in improved productivity and efficiency of the organization.

The specific objectives of establishing Grievance Redressal Mechanism are:

3.1 To provide clear and transparent framework to deal with concerns, problems or
complaints raised by civil servants in relation to matters affecting themselves as
individuals and also matters affecting their personal dealings or relationships with other
employees.
3.2 To achieve a fair and prompt resolution to individual grievanceswithin the stipulated
timeline.
3.3 To provide reasonable opportunity to the affected civil servants to express grievances and
have them redressed in a fair, equitable and prompt manner.
3.4 To promote effective working relationships and environment in which civil servants will
be able to raise work-related issues with their supervisors.

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 4. Commencement

The GRM shall come into force on the 3rd day of the Fire Female Bird Year of the Bhutanese,
corresponding to 1st day of the March 2017.

5. Scope and applicability

The GRM shall apply to all regular, contract, ESP and GSP employees staff under the Ministry
of Agriculture and Forests. It intends to provide clarity and uniform procedure on how the
complaints will be received, assessed, sorted, redressed and monitored.

6. Types of HR Grievances

HR grievance is one of the main grievances amongst other grievances which affect the civil
servants. The following are some of the grievances related to human resources:

6.1 No fairness in nomination for trainings and meeting/workshop;

6.2 No fairness and transparency in recruitment or selection process;
6.3 Issues with Promotion stagnation;
6.4 Forced ranking concepts (Identification of performer and non-performer);
6.5 Implementation of normal transfers (eg. Not willing to go on transfer);
6.6 Application of vested right principles (eg. Categorized certificate level officials in the
officer level positions).

However, the redressal issues will first be tackled on the training related grievances and it will be
later replicated to other HR functions.

7. Existing measures in handling/minimizing HR Grievances

7.1 Instituted Human resource Committee Meeting (HRC);

7.2 Nominations of trainings and workshops based on fairness, frequency, equity and
relevancy;
7.3 Executive order issued for appointment of alternate focal points so that one is not made
indispensable.

8. Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC)

The Human Resource Committee in the Ministry shall function as a Grievance Redressal
Committee to handle and settle grievances of any nature related to work. The Grievance
Redressal Committee Meeting will be organized as and when required to discuss the grievances
received by the Ministry.

An aggrieved civil servant can make an application to the Chairperson of the GRC as a
Grievance Redressal Committee seeking to redress the grievance. The Grievance Redressal
Committee shall ensure disposal of every complaint within 2 weeks from the date of receipt of
the complaint. A clear Terms of Reference of the GRC has been developed to ensure
professionalism in their conduct as detailed in Annexure.

8.2 Composition of the Grievance Redressal Committee

The Human Resource Committee Members of the Ministry shall function as Grievance Redressal
Committee. GRC shall compose of the following:

i. Hon'ble Secretary Chairperson

ii. Director General, BAFRA Member
iii. Director General, DoL Member
iv. Director General, DAMC Member
v. Director, DoFPS Member
vi. Director, DoA Member
vii. Dr. Sangay Wangcuk. Specialist II Member
viii. Program Director, NBC Member
ix. Program Director, ICS Member
x. Chief Admin. Officer, AFD Member
xi. Chief Planning Officer, PPD Member
xii. Chief HR Officer, HRD Member Secretary
xiii. Legal Officer, PPD Member

9. Procedures for handling Grievances

A grievance resolution procedure is the process by which solutions are sought in response to
complaints or problems in the workplace. There are two ways of handling grievances:

9.1 Informal procedure

Grievances can often be resolved quickly and informally through discussion with supervisors and
every effort will be made to resolve matters informally. Civil servants should raise any concerns
or issues informally with their immediate Division Chief/head of section. In doing so it is the
supervisor's responsibility to seek to resolve the grievance informally and to notify the individual
of the outcome. After doing that if it is not able to resolve his/her grievance informally in the
first instance, then it shall resort to a formal grievance procedures.

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 9.2 Formal procedure

In the event, the grievance cannot be solved through the informal procedure, the civil servants
should raise the matter formally, and without unreasonable delay, by putting his/her grievance in
writing for deliberation in the GRC.

Individual grievances shall be processed and dealt within the following

manner:

8.2.1 An aggrieved civil servant shall take up his grievance(s) orally with his immediate
superior who will try to resolve the grievance(s) at his level.
8.2.2 If the grievance is not satisfactorily redressed by his/her supervisor, the aggrieved
civil servant may submit his/her grievance in writing to the Head of Department
concerned.
8.2.3 All the grievances in writing shall be accompanied with supporting documents to
validate the grievance.
8.2.4 In case the grievance is not resolved or settled amicably even upon referring to the
Head of Department, it will be referred to the Grievance Redressal Committee.
8.2.5 The decision of the Grievance Redressal Committee will be conveyed within two
weeks from the date of receipt of the complaint.
8.2.6 Any civil servant aggrieved by the decision of the GRC of the Ministry may appeal
to the RCSC.
8.2.7 Any appeal by the civil servant on the decision of the Disciplinary Committee for
administrative action referred by the Departments and Agencies will not be construed
under this mechanism. In such case, it shall be channeled to the competent authority as
per Chapter 2 of BCSR 2012 under Administrative Discipline.
8.2.8 A proper record for all grievances referred to the Grievance Redressal Committee
shall be maintained by the dealing officials.
8.2.9 A focal shall be appointed from HRD to receive and compile the complaint which is
to be tabled for the GRC meeting.
8.2.10 Only identified complaints will be entertained with strict confidentiality
maintained by the dealing official.
8.2.11 No anonymous complaints will be entertained.
8.2.12 The number of grievances, settled or pending will be reported to the Secretary on a
monthly basis.
8.2.13 All grievances shall be routed through 1 Window Services.
 10. Grievance Redressal Mechanism flow chart

Case submitted to GRC

Does it pertain to Case taken up

Case forwarded department/Divisions/ within office for
to agencies? redress
Depts/Agencies

Act for resolution

Assessment and screening of the

grievance at the Division/Department

Receipt and register grievance

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 11. Procedure to file a complaint/Grievances

11.1 Complaints must be in writing and addressed to the Ministry Grievance Redressal
Unit (GRU) which shall be under the HRMD.
11.2 The complaint letter shall consist of the following details:
i. Name:
ii. EID No.:
iii. Position Title:
iv. Place of Posting:
v. Detail of grievance:
vi. Affixed Legal Stamp & Signature:
11.3 Complaints will be accepted by email, fax letter and post;
11.4 No anonymous complaints will be entertained;
11.5 All grievances shall be routed through 1 Window Services.
 12. Terms of Reference for the GRC Members

• GRC shall guide and address all grievances related issues within the Ministry to ensure fair
and prompt resolution to individual grievances within the stipulated deadlines;
• GRC shall ensure that all grievances related actions are in line with the policies, laws and
other existing rules and regulations;
• The GRC shall refrain from proposing actions in the matters beyond administrative
nature;
• The Committee shall thoroughly study and discuss the complaint and propose for a
decision including further enquiry into the matter if need arises;
• Review of receipt and disposal of grievances during the monthly meetings;
• Recommend to the Ministry the findings and analysis of grievances and issues;
• Monitoring of grievances within the Ministry on a monthly basis;
• GRC shall ensure effective implementation of the GRM;
• The Member of the GRC shall ensure strict confidentiality for the complaints received
and discussion made during the meeting; and
• The GRC member shall refrain from participating in GRC Meeting, if the complaint is
against the member themselves.

13. Terms of Reference for the HR focal

• The HR focal for Grievance Redressal Unit shall acknowledge the receipt of the
complaint immediately after the complaint has reached his/her hand;
• Review the complaint and prepare an Agenda for further submission to the GRC;
• Coordinate GRC Meetings;
• Keeping minutes and records of Meetings;
• Coordinate and follow-up on all GR Committee decisions; and
• Publicizing the grievance redress mechanism through the print and electronic media.

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Abbreviations and Acronyms

BCSR Bhutan Civil Service Rules and Regulations

DoA Department of Agriculture
DAMC Department of Agriculture Marketing & Cooperatives
DoFPS Department of Forest & Park Services
GRC Grievance Redressal Committee
GRM Grievance Redressal Mechanism
GRU Grievance Redressal Unit
HRC Human Resource Committee
MoAF Ministry of Agriculture & Forests
NBC National Biodiversity Center