Next of Kin of disappeared employee of Canal Department to get family pension from February 1995
The intervention by the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has resulted in justice for the victim family of an employee of Canal Department who disappeared 31 years ago. With the strong action by the Commission, decks have been cleared for family pension to the next of Kin from February 1995.
Giving details, Commission Member Gian Chand said that one Modan Singh, R/o Village Toosa in District Ludhiana had complained to the commission on December 7, 2018 that his son Saudagar Singh working as Beldar in the Canal Department disappeared during service. The family carrying out correspondence with the concerned department since 1992 regarding funds and family pension, got some of the amount but not the family pension and the D.C.R.G. amount. So, the victim family approached the commission.
Taking note of the complaint, the Commission wrote to the XEN Ropar (Headworks) and sought information to which the department replied via a letter dated June 10, 2019 that the office had written regarding payment of all dues but the complainant only got a meagre amount and that too sans family pension. The Department has written to the District Treasury Office regarding payment of the pending dues. The commission sought a report from the District Treasury Office which informed that it has already been written to the AG Chandigarh for payment of family pension.
Divulging more, the Commission Member said that the commission sent 10 letters to the office of AG in the aftermath but no reply was received. So, the commission ordered the AG, Punjab to appear in person. Consequently, on February 25, 2022 the Assistant Accounts Officer Pradeep Kumar and Adviser Sunil Kumar Gupta appeared before the commission with the entire record. The Commission thoroughly discussed the case with both the officers who agreed that the complaint is justified. The AG office assured to resolve the matter in 2-4 days.
The Commission Member further said that the AG office on 8th June, 2022 via a letter informed that the family pension would be paid to the next of Kin of the disappeared employee. The AG office has written a letter to the District Treasury Office on May 31, 2022 in this regard.
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Gautam Jalandhari (Editor)
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