Bengaluru: More than 36 doctors, who were working in Food Safety and Quality Department in Karnataka on deputation basis, have received  special allowances worth Rs. 3.5 crore even though they are not eligible for it.

As per rules, specialists and doctors, including Dentists of Health and Family Welfare Department, are given special allowance according to their specialisation and seniority. But it is made mandatory that these doctors of the Department must perform duties related to  medical profession.

Hence, doctors who were deputed to work as Food Safety Officers and Quality Certification Officers are not eligible to any special allowance during their period of deputation. In spite of this rule, 36 doctors have been paid ‘special allowance’ worth Rs. 3.6 crore.

On May 23, 2024, a total of 38 Drawing and Distribution Officer (DDO) codes were created including the offices of Food Safety and Quality Department.

Through Human Resources Management Software, withdrawal of special allowance for all Certification Officers was stalled and even the officers of the Food Safety and Quality Department have been instructed not to avail special allowance.

It is believed that, officials on deputation to Food Safety and Quality Department, working in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bidar, Ramanagara, Davangere, Mysuru Rural, Chikkamagalur, Kodagu, Dharwad and other districts, have received special allowance despite not being eligible since November 2019 to August 2024.Three of such officials have since retired.

The Department has now initiated steps against doctors who have received the allowance illegally. The allowance paid to these doctors will be recovered through deductions from their salaries on instalment basis and the department has directed to deduct the allowance amount paid to the three retired doctors from their monthly pension and remit them to Government Treasury.