National Commission for Scheduled Castes vice-chairman L. Murugan visited the home of Akash, the 20-year-old manual labourer who was murdered here in January.
He announced a monthly pension of ₹5,000 for the family along with a plot to construct house and a job for a family member based on their educational qualification. He also asked District Police Chief A. Sreenivas to submit the final chargesheet on the case within a week’s time.
Police had arrested four persons in connection with the murder of Akash. He also said the conviction rate in the cases registered under SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act was very low. “The public prosecutors handling such cases should be monitored and the witnesses in such cases should be given protection,” he said.
Mr. Murugan also suggested a departmental probe into the under-utilisation of SC/ST fund allotted to the district. He observed that district had only used nearly 50% of the funds allotted this budget year and directed the district administration to spend the money before the budget year ends.
“An inquiry should be conducted and action should be taken against the officials who are responsible for this under-utilisation,” he said at Ashramam guest house after holding an adalat here on Friday. Out of the total ₹70 crore allotted to the district, various local self government departments have spent only ₹36 crore so far.
Mr. Murugan also instructed the authorities to conduct monthly visits to the SC/ST student hostels in the district to assess the situation and solve the issues of the inmates.
