Bengaluru: The food safety and quality department has directed 36 doctors, including three who retired, to repay Rs 3.5 crore which they received as unauthorised enhanced special allowance while on deputation between Nov 2019 and Aug 2024. The department plans to recover the funds through monthly salary deductions for doctors still ins service and retirement benefits from the others.
Meanwhile, weeks after the state food safety commissioner issued the order to recover the funds, the health and family welfare department, on Jan 21, issued a notification to repatriate 21 doctors — including those who illegally drew special allowance — from the food safety department and asked them to report to duty with the health department. The repatriation notice stated that they had continued their service with the food safety department even after their deputation period ended.
Sources say the order to recover the money was issued after health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, while replying to a question from BJP MLC DS Arun during a legislature session in Feb 2024, promised to act on the issue.
“I learnt about the irregularities from a few doctors. They were drawing special allowances when they were not eligible for it. I brought it to the notice of the govt during last year’s session. It is a welcome decision that the govt has taken action to recover the money,” Arun told TOI.
Sources say doctors are eligible for an enhanced special allowance based on their service and expertise while working as doctors, specialists, medical officers, and dental health officers with the health and family welfare department. However, under a govt order issued in Nov 2019, they are ineligible for these allowances if they are deputed to the food safety department.
However, the 36 doctors continued to draw this special allowance, which varied in amount from doctor to doctor. It is said the three retired doctors drew Rs 26.2 lakh while the 33 still in service drew about Rs 3.2 crore. The commissioner’s notice said the deducted or recovered amount will be deposited in the govt treasury.