Citizen Action Network (CAN) Overview
Citizen Action Network (CAN) is a public service project whose mission is to help Tamil Nadu residents and businesses prioritize, demand, monitor and provide feedback on projects implemented by the Government of India, Tamil Nadu State Government and Chennai Corporation. Our goal is to facilitate systematic participation of citizens to ensure the relevance of government policies and spending of our tax money.
Responsibilities: CAN Management Committee
- Help form and be an interface to CAN Local Committees
- Connect CAN Local Committees with project implementation bodies such as PWD, EB etc.
- Intervene with Principal Secretaries, Chennai Corporation, District Collectors, if implementation is not satisfactory based on feedback from CAN Local Committees.
- Ensure adequate budgets are allocated for projects from various departmental, constituency and Corporation funds, plus other sources.
- Raise unresolved issues in the TN State Assembly, Parliament and the media as appropriate.
- Bring the full influence of political, government, and media networks to address the concerns at hand including unsatisfactory project implementation
Responsibilities: CAN Local Committee
Each Local Committee has 2 to 5 members at the colony, block or building society level. CAN Local Committee will take an active role in improving their area’s facilities and infrastructure through effective management of public projects.
- Identify and prioritize the top needs in the neighbourhood: Roads, schools, education/teachers, drainage, water, employment, public safety, parks, playgrounds, electricity/transformers, lighting, healthcare, etc.
- Communicate to designated government official to make an implementation work plan and follow-up through periodic phone calls and personal meetings
- Monitor project implementation in progress to ensure satisfactory progress in terms of suitability of approach, quality and timeliness through periodic visits to site and with implementing body.
- Provide feedback on project implementation through phone calls and personal meetings with corporation bodies and government officials in-charge to report on satisfactory progress and quality. These would be facilitated by the elected officials of the CAN Local committee.
- Organize monthly CAN meetings and field visits to review local needs and project progress.
- Engage with other local organizations and corporates for volunteer support and funds if required.
Do join us!