Consider uniform compensation policy for govt employees: CIC

The CIC today directed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office to consider a uniform policy for providing compensation to the families of government employees who die on duty.
Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu emphasised that there should be no discrimination between the compensation given to a soldier and a doctor. He pointed out that Delhi government had enhanced the compensation to uniformed men who lose their lives on duty to Rs 1 crore.
He directed the Public Information Officer of the Chief Minister's Office to put all related files and papers before the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister to help them consider a uniform policy of providing compensation to families of government employees, including doctors, killed on duty.

"On April 1, 2015 the Delhi government announced: 'The policy will cover officers of Delhi Police, personnel of armed forces and paramilitary forces hailing from Delhi, personnel from other forces serving Delhi government, civil defence and home guards'," he said.
After the order, Delhi has become the state paying the highest compensation to families of uniformed personnel killed while on duty, he said.
"It is not clear whether the policy of the Delhi State covers a doctor's family to get compensation for his death due to disease. Like a police officer, a doctor is also risking life by exposure to deadly diseases, which is no less than facing bullets," Acharyulu said.

(Reopens DES 57)

The family was not paid compensation and Public Grievance system (PGMS) rejected their grievance petitions thrice.
"No policy can discriminate life of a doctor from that of a soldier for purposes of compensation. Deadly disease like swine flu is as worse as a killing assailant. If there is no such security measure, it is difficult to give moral strength to young doctors to treat suffering citizens," Acharyulu said.
He said it was the duty of the state to form a uniform policy to provide compensation to families for unforeseen death of employees during service, and inform the people about it.

"In this case, the young doctor's family has the right to know whether they are entitled to compensation. If so, why not one crore rupees as given to an officer killed on duty? The state has to explain reasons for not treating a doctor on par with police," the Information Commissioner said.
The Commissioner further noted that the CMO chose to transfer the RTI request to three departments instead of informing the appellant about their policy or reasons for absence of policy.
Acharyulu said not only the family of the deceased doctor, the entire population legitimately expects a uniform policy from the CMO.

"Besides, appellant has a right to know why a family's claim is rejected by a PGMS," he said.
Acharyulu stated that the Public Grievance Management System suffers from two serious deficiencies; the given password does not work and even if it works, the status of rejected will be revealed without giving any reasons.
"If the password does not work, the applicant hits an iron wall and he can do nothing. Even if he could open the status report, he does not have reasons for rejection and he has no way to secure the reasons," he added.