Karnataka: E-swathu' to come under Sakala

Bengaluru: With allegations of corruption dogging the issue of ‘e-swathu’ property documents to rural applicants  in the state, the government has decided to bring the scheme under Sakala from August this year, according to Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, H.K. Patil .

Replying to a question from Mr  Kantharaju of the Janata Dal (Secular), the Minister informed  the Legislative Council on Friday  that the government was seriously working to simplify the system to avoid nepotism and corruption in issue of e-swathu property documents to applicants in villages. 

As complaints had been received  against a few Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) in Bengaluru rural limits for collecting bribes  to issue the property documents, the scheme would now be administered under Sakala. 

“A senior officer of the department  has been appointed as supervisor to oversee the scheme under Sakala,” he added.

However, defending the scheme, he said that since introduction  of  e-swathu, there were fewer cases of  people being duped when buying properties.  Responding to Mr. Kantharaju, who  claimed that PDOs and EOs were fixing bribe rates to issue e-swathu documents, especially on the outskirts of Bengaluru, the Minister said that he had already ordered any inquiry by senior IAS officer, R.B. Agavane into the matter.