Why RTI is a weak tool in state?
Lack of coordination between
Gujarat Information Commission and General Administration dept a hurdle in RTI
implementation
Yogesh
Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, October 25,
2012 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20121025201210250216052646f030225/Why-RTI-is-a-weak-tool-in-state.html)
Seven years after the RTI Act came into force, Gujarat still lags behind in the implementation of one of
the most effective tools that holds government accountable and curbs
corruption. And the apparent reason, say activists, is the lack of
co-ordination between Gujarat Information Commission and RTI cell of General
Administration Department (GAD). The two agencies instead of working for
effective execution are busy passing the buck .
NO DATA ON RTI PLEAS
“Neither of the agencies have data on number of RTI applications filed at various government departments till date. Also, there are no figures on which department has received the highest number of RTI queries so far and which one has responded to the highest number of applications. Also, there is no data on first appeal and pending cases of second appeal. There is no watch over the recovery of penalty imposed by the commission,” said RTI activist Ajay Mishra.
NO RECOVERY
“In seven years, the commission penalised 161 government officials in various departments. But no recovery has been made till date in these cases. The commission says GAD is the monitoring authority and it is responsible for recovery. The commission and GAD hold each other responsible for lack of data and non-recovery of penalty,” he said.
When contacted, GAD, RTI cell, nodal officer said: “Recovery of penalty is the job of respective heads of the departments. We don’t have any data or information which shows how many department heads took action and recovered penalty. It’s not the responsibility of our cell to maintain a record of RTI applications that reach every department. It is the task of Gujarat Information Commission to keep a record of RTI pleas. You will get these data and follow-up details from there.”
Gujarat Information Commission secretary A G Chaudhary said: “Recovery is the department head’s job but monitoring is the responsibility of GAD. It should have the figure on recovery. To maintain a record of first RTI applications is also the function of GAD. The agency has a dedicated website for this purpose. It’s its job to update it. We only have second and third appeal data.”
NO DATA ON RTI PLEAS
“Neither of the agencies have data on number of RTI applications filed at various government departments till date. Also, there are no figures on which department has received the highest number of RTI queries so far and which one has responded to the highest number of applications. Also, there is no data on first appeal and pending cases of second appeal. There is no watch over the recovery of penalty imposed by the commission,” said RTI activist Ajay Mishra.
NO RECOVERY
“In seven years, the commission penalised 161 government officials in various departments. But no recovery has been made till date in these cases. The commission says GAD is the monitoring authority and it is responsible for recovery. The commission and GAD hold each other responsible for lack of data and non-recovery of penalty,” he said.
When contacted, GAD, RTI cell, nodal officer said: “Recovery of penalty is the job of respective heads of the departments. We don’t have any data or information which shows how many department heads took action and recovered penalty. It’s not the responsibility of our cell to maintain a record of RTI applications that reach every department. It is the task of Gujarat Information Commission to keep a record of RTI pleas. You will get these data and follow-up details from there.”
Gujarat Information Commission secretary A G Chaudhary said: “Recovery is the department head’s job but monitoring is the responsibility of GAD. It should have the figure on recovery. To maintain a record of first RTI applications is also the function of GAD. The agency has a dedicated website for this purpose. It’s its job to update it. We only have second and third appeal data.”
