G.O.(Ms) No.333, Chief Minister's Uzhavar Pathukappu Thittam Claim Time Limits, 2014

What the government order governs

The Government of Tamil Nadu Revenue [LR. I (2)] Department issued G.O.(Ms) No.333, dated 5 August 2014, to set application deadlines under the Chief Minister's Uzhavar Pathukappu Thittam, 2011. The scheme provides educational assistance, marriage assistance, old age pension, accident relief, natural death assistance and funeral expenses.

The deadlines affect scheme members, their children, nominees and other eligible beneficiaries applying through the VAO, RI or Taluk Office. The government introduced them because no claim deadlines had been prescribed under G.O.(Ms) No.265, dated 10 September 2011. The document states that claims submitted after two years or more could cause duplication and delay assistance.

Deadlines for applications

G.O.(Ms) No.333 sets the following limits:

• Education assistance must be claimed within six months from the commencement of the academic year.
• Marriage assistance may be claimed within three months before the marriage or within six months after the marriage.
• Natural death and funeral assistance must be claimed within six months from the date of death.
• Accident death and funeral assistance, and accidental injury assistance, must be claimed within six months from the date of the incident.
• No application deadline is required for old age pension or destitute agricultural labourers pension.
• No additional or separate time limit is set for an accident report to the Special Tahsildar (Social Security Scheme) and the police station.

Approval of delayed claims

The Revenue [LR. I (2)] Department authorises revenue officers to approve delayed claims after considering the applicant's reasons for the delay:

• The Revenue Divisional Officer may approve a claim up to three months after the normal deadline.
• The District Revenue Officer may approve a claim delayed by more than three months and up to six months.
• The District Collector may approve a claim delayed by more than six months and up to one year.

For example, a natural death claim has a normal six month deadline. With approval for delay, the Revenue Divisional Officer can cover claims submitted up to nine months from death, the District Revenue Officer up to one year, and the District Collector up to one year and six months.

Relevance to land matters

G.O.(Ms) No.333 concerns deadlines for welfare assistance claims. It does not set out rules on land ownership, transfer, registration or land ceilings.