BENGALURU: Revenue minister R V Deshpande has given a 15-day deadline to deputy commissioners in all the districts to clear pending cases of ex-gratia packages for the kin of defence martyrs. Acting on a report published in The New Indian Express (Families of martyrs from Karnataka wait endlessly for compensation), Deshpande issued an official note asking all the deputy commissioners to submit a status report within 15 days.
“The deputy commissioners should verify pending cases related to dues for martyrs’ kin, since when the compensation has been pending, the reason for delay and the same should be submitted to the minister’s office,” the note read.
Meanwhile, the minister said that to make officials understand the seriousness and sensitivity of the issue, the matter will be discussed in the deputy commissioners’ meeting scheduled to be held on July 30.
Following the report published in The New Indian Express, the Karnataka Lokayukta had on Monday filed a suo motu case. Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty directed the state government to dispose of the applications of martyrs’ families within eight weeks.
The Lokayukta issued notices to the principal secretaries of Revenue department, Urban development department and Finance department, the Director of Department of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement for considering the grievances of the family members of the martyred defence personnel, whose cases were highlighted in the report and also to examine the status of other similar cases pending before the various authorities of the state.
The Lokayukta also directed to implead authorities concerned as respondents to the proceedings in the case. They included deputy commissioners of Gadag, Hassan, Mysuru, Vijayapura, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Belagavi, Bengaluru Urban districts and the Commissioners of Gadag, Hassan, Mysuru, Vijayapura, Mangaluru, Dharwad, Belagavi and Bengaluru Development Authorities.