Shivamogga: The Lokayukta officers have caught Baganakatte Gram Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) Manjunath red-handed as he was accepting a bribe from a lady.

As the roof and a wall of her house had been destroyed in the rains of 2021, Sakamma, a resident of Sanklapura village in Shikaripura taluk had applied for relief under the Rajiv Gandhi Vasathi Yojana. When she approached Manjunath to discuss the matter, the PDO demanded an amount of Rs 20,000 for the work. Sakamma reportedly paid him Rs 13,000 before filing a complaint against the PDO with the Lokayukta Police.

The Lokayukta Police officers, who investigated the case, caught Manjunath red-handed when he was receiving the remaining amount from Sakamma.

The investigating team, directed by Shivamogga Lokayukta Superintendent of Police N Vasudevarama, consisted of Lokayukta Assistant Superintendent Umesh, Eshwara Naik, Inspector Suresh and police constables.

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Bengaluru: India Post has launched its first Gen Z Post Office in Bengaluru at the Acharya Institute of Technology, aiming to attract college students in an age dominated by emails, WhatsApp and social media.

According to a report published by The New Indian Express, Harsha MR, Assistant Superintendent, Bengaluru West Division Post Office, said the new post office, officially named Gen Z Post Office, Achit Nagar, Bengaluru (PIN 560107), will be inaugurated on Wednesday. It has been creatively designed and painted with graffiti by students of the institute to make it more appealing to young people.

He said “In the Gen Z post office, we have introduced two categories in one category, students can come and work with our staff and get good experience, know more about the schemes and services available under India Post”. “In another category, they can work with us part time and they will be provided with incentives but it is still in the pipeline and yet to be implemented.”

Harsha said the initiative is meant to bring postal services closer to students, researchers and the campus community. Similar Gen Z post offices are also planned at GITAM University and the National Law School of India University.

According to the report, they can also use the services to communicate with students across the campuses also. Unlike other post offices, it is a blend of physical and digital world giving students WIFI services, air-conditioned rooms and even coffee vending machines which Gen Z prefer to use.

Harsha said student representatives who will be in-charge of the campus work at post offices within the campus are yet to be decided.

“A roster will be prepared and different students will be given tasks to serve at various service counters. A senior post master will be in charge of Gen Z post offices and he will guide the students,” TNIE quoted Harsha as saying.

India Post officials allegedly said similar Gen Z post offices will soon be launched in Bengaluru North, South and East divisions as part of a broader effort to connect with younger generations.