28-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Upa Lokayukta steps in, cook gets pension after nine long years
BENGALURU: Poornachandra Tejaswi's 'Tabarana Kathe', depicted the struggle of a government servant to get his pension after retirement.
Similar is the struggle of Nagarathnamma, a cook who took voluntary retirement from the Social Services Department after 23 years of service in 2016.
Finally it took the intervention of Upa Lokayukta to get justice for Nagarathnamma, a resident of Maruthi Layout in Maluru of Kolar district.
'I took voluntary retirement in 2016 owing to health issues but I had not got my retirement benefit and pension. Finally, I approached Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa whose intervention made me get my retirement benefits along with a pension of Rs 20.21 lakh now. I am happy that I got justice,' says Nagarathnamma.
'It is an unfortunate case. It is against the principles of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The complaint was filed in June 2023, but the authorities concerned did not take any action', says Justice Veerappa, who passed the order dated March 5, 2025, seeking an explanation from the authorities.
V Shivakumar, the Assistant Director, Grade-1, Social Welfare Department, told the court that the issue was delayed since the Accountant General (AG) raised an objection. He will propose the papers for disbursement of the pension to the AG within a week and it is for the AG to proceed and clear the pension. Even otherwise, the complainant is entitled to 10% interest on the amount she is entitled to, he said.
Justice Veerappa directed the authorities to disburse pension and other benefits by May 7 with a direction to send the copy of the order to AG. The government paid Rs 20.21 lakh, including death cum retirement gratuity and cumulative value of pension to Nagarathnamma on June 12.
