Centre to Haryana: Hold DISHA Committee Meetings Independently After MLA Varun Chaudhary’s Objection

This direction comes after Congress MLA Varun Chaudhary raised objections to the state’s earlier decision to hold the two meetings simultaneously — a move he claimed undermined the autonomy and functionality of the DISHA platform.

The Union Ministry of Rural Development, which oversees the DISHA framework, conveyed to the Haryana government that merging or combining these meetings goes against the standard procedural guidelines.

“DISHA Committees are meant exclusively to monitor and review the implementation of central schemes and development programs at the district level. These meetings should not be clubbed with grievance redressal sessions,” a senior official said.

Background

In July 2025, the Haryana government had issued a circular directing district administrations to conduct joint sittings of the DISHA and District Grievance Redressal Committees. The move was aimed at saving administrative time, but it drew criticism from opposition leaders and some MPs who chair DISHA meetings in their constituencies.

MLA Varun Chaudhary, representing Mulana constituency, formally objected, stating that combining meetings diluted the purpose of reviewing Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) such as PMGSY, NRLM, and Jal Jeevan Mission.

He further argued that the joint format reduced the accountability of departments, as grievance discussions overshadowed developmental reviews.

Centre’s Response

Following Chaudhary’s representation, the Ministry of Rural Development reviewed the Haryana directive and issued an advisory reinforcing the separation of mandates between the two bodies.
The Centre emphasized that the Member of Parliament (MP) heading the DISHA Committee must have adequate time and focus to assess implementation of central projects in their respective districts.

“State governments must ensure that DISHA meetings are held as per the prescribed frequency, independently, and with detailed reporting,” the advisory stated.

What Are DISHA Committees?

The District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) is chaired by the area’s Lok Sabha MP and includes MLAs, senior bureaucrats, and district officers. It is tasked with reviewing the progress and quality of implementation of central government schemes at the district level.

The District Grievance Redressal Committee, on the other hand, deals with citizen complaints on service delivery and governance issues.

Next Steps

The Haryana government is expected to issue a revised notification shortly to comply with the Centre’s direction. Officials have indicated that separate meeting schedules will be circulated for all 22 districts by the end of November.