Date:06/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/06/stories/2006050604760400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Ombudsmen to be appointed soon

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Ombudsmen for panchayati raj bodies will be appointed soon, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj C.M. Udasi has said.

The Government decided to appoint ombudsmen to check the increasing incidence of irregularities, including corruption, among members and officials of these bodies, he told presspersons here on Friday.

The Minister said the Government was channelling Rs. 4,300 crore through the panchayati raj institutions, and their activities needed close scrutiny. The ombudsmen would be vested with powers to combat corruption and prevent irregularities. An Ordinance would be promulgated in a month to enable the appointment of ombudsmen, he said.

The ombudsmen would be appointed from among assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners. Assistant commissioners would deal with complaints against members and officials of village panchayats and deputy commissioners would take care of complaints pertaining to taluk and zilla panchayats. There would be 175 ombudsmen at the taluk level and 27 at the district level. A State-level ombudsman would also be appointed, Mr. Udasi said. Retired judges of the High Court or former chief secretaries would hold the post.

He said B. Nagesh, extension officer of the Raichur Taluk Panchayat, had been suspended for irregularities in the records.