Funeral expenses scheme a dead duck, complain applicants

Chamarajanagar dist yet to clear Rs 83.10 lakh dues

The inordinate delay in releasing financial assistance for funeral expenses to below poverty line (BPL) families has drawn flak from the public.

With a bid to extend social and financial security to those under BPL, the state government had increased the aid towards funeral expenses from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 in the 2015-16 budget. But the delay in disbursing the funds has defeated the purpose, complain the people.

The government had issued an order on August 14, 2015, to release Rs 5,000 for funeral expenses to the families of the deceased from April 1, 2015. It had also directed to release the funds to the districts in instalments, every quarter. However, only two instalments have been released to the district during the last financial year.

Thousands of applications that were awaiting financial assistance are pending. People have been questioning about the status at the tahsildar’s office, Revenue department and other offices, and the officials are finding it difficult to answer them.

According to the procedure, soonfater the demise of a person, the family members have to submit an application to the taluk office and later produce the death certificate. As per norms, the financial assistance should be disbursed within a month of submitting the application.

According to sources, 1,662 applications have been submitted in the district, including 517 belonging to SC/ST communities. Only two instalments have been released and the government is yet to release Rs 83.10 lakh.

Speaking to DH, officials of the department of Social Security and Pension said, when the financial assistance was Rs 1,000, the village accountant used to disburse it immediately. With the increase in amount, the funds are remitted directly to the bank account of the applicants.