Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S. Suresh Kumar on Thursday visited the residence in Dharwad of KES officer Mahadev Malagi, who has been bedridden for the last five years, and handed over a voluntary retirement order to his family members.
Mr. Malagi, a 1999 batch KES officer, has served as headmaster, Block Education Officer and DIET teacher at various places, but has been restricted to his bed since 2015 after he had an attack of paralysis. Although his family had sought voluntary retirement and a government job for a family member on compassionate grounds, no decision was taken by the authorities concerned and the family was undergoing a difficult time.
After a section of media reported the incident, Mr. Suresh Kumar had asked the authorities to immediately complete the formalities and, on Thursday, he handed over the voluntary retirement order to the officer’s family. The Minister also promised that all related benefits would soon reach the family.
He said that the family had sought a government job for one of its members on compassionate grounds. “I will raise the issue in a Cabinet meeting in the coming days. It is a matter to be decided in the Cabinet and the Chief Minister has the authority to decide on it,” he said.
MLA Arvind Bellad urged the Minister to expedite reimbursement of medical expenses of the officer. Mr. Malagi’s wife Prabhavati and children Sameeksha and Sampada aired their grievances before the Minister.
MLC S.V. Sankanur, Additional Commissioner of Public Instruction Major Siddalingayya Hiremath and others were present.
