From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Apr 28: The requirement of submitting affidavits sworn before a notary or magistrate for availing various services from different departments in the State Government has been done away with and instead the citizens can submit self-declarations.
This important decision was taken at the State Cabinet, presided over by the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, at its meeting in Bangalore on Monday,
The decision to do away with the cumbersome process of submitting sworn affidavits and implement the introduction of self-declarations has been approved by as many as 25 government departments, said Karnataka’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra while briefing reporters on the outcome of the State Cabinet meeting.
He said the government proposed to extend the decision to some more departments and all the details would be announced shortly.
However, he said the citizens who submit false self-declarations or knowing make wrong statements would be liable for 6 months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1000 or both.
The minister said the format of the self-declaration and pro-forma would be published by all the implementing departments within the next two months.
Compensation to Hailstorm-hit Farmers
Meanwhile, in another major decision, the State Cabinet declared the villages hit by hailstorm between February 28 and March 9 in 13 districts as hailstorm affected villages. The farmers affected by the hailstorm would be sanctioned compensation.
Jayachandra said the State Cabinet at its meeting held on March 26 had decided to sanction compensation to the people affected by the hailstorm. However, the decision was held in abeyance in view of the electoral model code of conduct in operation in the State in connection with the April 17 Lok Sabha elections in all the 28 constituencies in the State.
All the farmers in the affected villages of the 13 districts will be granted the benefit of waiver of interest on the crop loans and repayment of the principal shall be done on the basis of term loans, Jayachandra said.
The compensation amount, the minister said, will be more than the amount payable under the national calamity relief guidelines.
The compensation amount in rainfed areas will be Rs 15,000 per hectare as against Rs 4,500, Rs 25,000 per hectare in irrigated areas as against Rs 9,000 and in multiple crop areas at Rs 40,000 per hectare against Rs 12,000.
However, the compensation payment will be restricted only to the villages affected by hailstorm havoc during the period between February 28 and March 9. Each hectare of land in the affected villages will be entitled for one-time payment of compensation, Jayachandra said.
Sakala to cover more Services
The minister also announced the State Cabinet decided to scrap the limit on imposition of fine on the officials for delay in furnishing replies to citizens under the Sakala scheme.
He also said the State Cabinet reviewed the functioning of the Sakala scheme, which completed 2 years, for bringing transparency in the administration and ensuring citizen-friendly services and decided to include some more services in addition to the 478 services already covered.
The State Cabinet has also decided to upload the objections and suggestions received to the Dr K Kasturi Rangan panel’s report on the protection of the Western Ghats Forests as advised by the Centre for doing it by May 10.
Of the 36 recommendations made by the panel, the suggestions for some of the recommendations would be separately sent, the minister said.