RTI Anonymous comes to the rescue of those afraid of being targeted for filing RTI applications
March 21, 2012 02:14 PM
| 
Vinita Deshmukh
March 21, 2012 02:14 PM
| Vinita Deshmukh
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
Monday, March 19, 2012
JK High Court stays Mining Project at Vaishno Devi Hills
Jammu: A Division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High
Court on Monday ordered an interim Stay on mining activities in Trikuta Hills
on account of environmental and legal concerns.
Chief Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla and Justice Hasnain
Massodi were responding to a Public Interest Litigation filed by Dewaker Sharma and Vilakshan Singh
(advocates) seeking orders from the
court to direct the respondents not to
carry any mining or other activity in the mine lease area belonging to Shri
Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board in the vicinity of Trikuta Wild Life Sanctuary
and extracting Magnasite and setting up of plant of Dead Burnt Magnasite at
Chipprian Hills, Chandwan and Panthal Village, Katra in district Reasi of Jammu.
The petitioners in
the Writ Petition has contended that extraction through mining, would not only
cause disaster to the ecology and environment of municipal area but it would be
in violation of J & K Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1978, Shri Mata Vaishno
Devi Shrine Board Act, 1988, Constitution of India as applicable to State of J
& K and various guidelines of Apex Court issued time and again in catena of
judgments.
The petitioners have further prayed before the HC that
denotification of Trikuta Wild Life Sanctuary by NBWL is without jurisdiction as Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 is
not applicable to the State of J&K as J & K has its own Act which is J&K Wild Life
(Protection) Act, 1978. National Board for Wild Life has been constituted under
the Indian Wild Life Protection Act, 1972. But the said Act is not applicable
to the state of J&K. The sub-section (2) of Section 25-A of J&K Wild
Life Protection Act, 1978 provides that “No alteration of the boundaries of a
sanctuary shall be made except on the recommendation of the Board and a
resolution to this effect passed by both Houses of the State Legislature.”
The petitioners have also argued that no expert opinion
was ever sought by SMVDSB regarding the impact of mining on Shri Mata Vaishno
Devi Shrine and its Flora and Fauna which is again a failure on the part of a failure on the part of Shrine Board in safeguarding the welfare of property vested to it
under Shrine Board Act. The recommendation for denotification and sanction of
the NBWL, NATIONAL BOARD FOR WILD LIFE for setting up plant for setting up of TPA
Dead Burnt Magnesia Plant was sought by misrepresentations of the facts, it was intimated that it
did not involve any felling of trees whereas Shrine Board has itself raised a
demand of Rs. 2.36 Crore from NMDC and JKMDC for felled tree and compensatory
afforestation.
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
| ||
Turning the pages of calendar year 2011 and the RTI developments in the state, It would be injustice if I do not appreciate the state government which though slowly but somehow made many of its promises regarding the implementation of Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009. Of course, yet many promises remained unattended for the reasons best known to the people at the helm of affairs but being a citizen (and a frequent RTI user) of the state I am privileged to feel the essence of participatory democracy in my state, where earlier it was just experienced twice in 6 years. One by voting in the Lok Sabha elections and other while electing our representatives for the state legislative assembly. This switch over from 'Bullet' to 'Ballot Democracy' and then to 'Participatory Democracy' appears to be a dream, but this is realism. It gives lot of encouragement to a common citizen when he goes with an RTI application to the highest offices of the state be it Rajbhavan or the Chief Minister's secretariat, where officers, now, by and large give timely response to the RTI queries. It is only with the help of this transparency law that one BPL category person namely Bashir seeks information from the Chief Minister's office and the officers provided him the full information free of cost. Obviously those officers deserve all the appreciations who honoured the law passed by the state legislature. Such a shift is more significant in our state. The Right to Information Act marked a new beginning in our state which has witnessed a long era of violence and hostility where perhaps no one ever even thought of even ballot forget 'good governance.' On 28th Feb this year, the first chief information commissioner GR Sufi took over his chair and it is only after his appointment that the Public Information officers started adhering the rules and provisions of the act. At the conclusion I must say 2011, was full of RTI activities in the state and all the stake holders deserve many appreciations for their crusade.
Raman Sharma RTI activist and can be reached [@] JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM |
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
By Raman Sharma
The Jammu and Kashmir Government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has obviously taken lot of public welfare measures including the most talked and powerful laws, Right to Information and Public Service Guarantee Act. Both these laws have already and of course will further be strengthening the democracy at grass root level. For bringing these laws the state government did not only receive appreciations and applauses form the people of the state, Government of India but even the international civil society groups across the globe acknowledged and greeted these pro citizenry measures by the J & K government. With the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009, the State Government lawfully bound the (Public Information officers) state bureaucracy to provide information to the citizens within specified period of 30 days failing which they shall be liable for penalty. Similarly the Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act, 2011 makes it obligatory for the (Designated Officers) officers to provide certain services to the eligible person within the time limit as specified in the act ranging from 7 to 45 days depending upon the service requirement. It is worth appreciating that would also congratulate the Government and the officers have disposed over 7000 RTI applications and more than 3 lac applications under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Guarantee Act since enactment of these laws.
No mindful person, of course including the author can and will criticize the State Government for enacting these powerful laws that makes the bureaucracy accountable, system transparent, promote democracy and enables an ordinary citizen to seek information and timely delivery of services from the officers but who will ensure that the officers who are assigned the task of ensuing these rights to the people will be provided with the sufficient staff and the required infrastructure for this purpose. The citizens are already availing the services from different offices even without the PSGA 2011 and the Government must tell the people that what additional facilities it has provided to the different departments so that these departments can facilitate the applications under PSGA in time bound manner. Who will ensure requisite infrastructure to different departments whose services are included in the PSGA. Recently the state chief minister directed for inclusion of some more services under the act but as on date perhaps not even a single rupee has been allocated by the State Government for the purpose of providing timely delivery of services.
Most of the offices in our state Government departments remain under staff and there is no record management system in place. Everyone in the government though orchestrated so loudly about the computerization of data and keeping records in the electronic format but nothing has happened so far. Unless and until our state government moves forward in the direction of computerization of records and taking immediate measures to bridge the shortfall of staff in the offices the above referred laws cannot survive long. We cannot ensure the timely delivery of services just with the whip of penalty [as proviso in
The RTI Act 2009 and PSGA 2011] on the officers and officials therefore for this purpose the State Government must also invest towards infrastructural development. The Government must activate its Information and technology department to come forward and help the state institutions by enabling them to move towards record management. It is expected from the government that it will adopt constructive approach and will not allow these powerful and citizen friendly laws to get buried just in want of physical requirements.
About Raman Sharma, he is an an RTI activist and can be reached [@] JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM.
No mindful person, of course including the author can and will criticize the State Government for enacting these powerful laws that makes the bureaucracy accountable, system transparent, promote democracy and enables an ordinary citizen to seek information and timely delivery of services from the officers but who will ensure that the officers who are assigned the task of ensuing these rights to the people will be provided with the sufficient staff and the required infrastructure for this purpose. The citizens are already availing the services from different offices even without the PSGA 2011 and the Government must tell the people that what additional facilities it has provided to the different departments so that these departments can facilitate the applications under PSGA in time bound manner. Who will ensure requisite infrastructure to different departments whose services are included in the PSGA. Recently the state chief minister directed for inclusion of some more services under the act but as on date perhaps not even a single rupee has been allocated by the State Government for the purpose of providing timely delivery of services.
Most of the offices in our state Government departments remain under staff and there is no record management system in place. Everyone in the government though orchestrated so loudly about the computerization of data and keeping records in the electronic format but nothing has happened so far. Unless and until our state government moves forward in the direction of computerization of records and taking immediate measures to bridge the shortfall of staff in the offices the above referred laws cannot survive long. We cannot ensure the timely delivery of services just with the whip of penalty [as proviso in
The RTI Act 2009 and PSGA 2011] on the officers and officials therefore for this purpose the State Government must also invest towards infrastructural development. The Government must activate its Information and technology department to come forward and help the state institutions by enabling them to move towards record management. It is expected from the government that it will adopt constructive approach and will not allow these powerful and citizen friendly laws to get buried just in want of physical requirements.
About Raman Sharma, he is an an RTI activist and can be reached [@] JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM.
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
By Raman Sharma
The Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information came into being in the state in its present form in the year 2009 and there is no dearth of success stories of the Right to information users/activists where they have been able to get the information for self use and for the public interest but even then when we compare the number of female RTI applicants with males in J & K it is almost nil. Recently the state government released the data of total number of RTI applications received by Public Information Officers of different departments of the state government. Official version of the government says Just 7000 Right to Information applications have been filed by the citizens in all since March 2010, whereas we are the population of more than 12 million people. Most of these RTI applications are submitted by male-citizens and unfortunately female folk remained very lethargic in tendering RTI applications. Most of the Public information officers during their interaction admitted that the number of RTI applications received from female applicants are almost negligible. At least in the departments like revenue, forest, Urban/ Rural Local bodies, ,General administration departments, Police, Public Health Engineering, Power Development Department, Health, Medical Department and Public Works department. Contrary to this there are good numbers of RTI applications made by the female applicants in departments like social welfare department for seeking information related to Anganwadi centers , Education department, Public Distribution Department, Women Development Corporation and in some cases even in different universities of the state. The stakeholders give different reasons for low number of women participants in RTI movement.
According to Balvinder Singh of Sangrash RTI movemnt J&K unless and until we involve female individuals women groups in the RTI movement we cannot yield the desired results because they are half of the total population and we cannot afford to keep them off from this movement. The reason for their negligible participation is also because of the unawareness, illiteracy, male dominance in the family, high fees , attitude of the PIO’s, no protection for whistleblower, bitter experiences of other RTI users and above all the threat perception that always follow any RTI applicant at least in our state. Out of total 600, complaints and 2nd appeals received by the State Information Commission there are not more than 25 to 30 cases of women appellants. There are some other interesting submissions of the RTI activists of the state to advance women participation in RTI implementation and mass awareness . Shafiq Mir who is Sarpanch of remote village Poshana, Bufflaiz block in Poonch and an RTI activist demands absolute fees waiver for female RTI applicants, he argues; Women empowerment means involving them in participatory democracy and in our state where the per capita income of the state is so low, the high fees of Rs. 50/- is a pretext to debar them. History witnesses that no movement in world has become successful without direct involvement of the females of the society, be it war or any other civil right movement. And in our state if the state government and other stakeholders are really interested in implementing this Act in letter and spirit they should make arrangement so that Women can come forward and take the lead in exercising their own right and to educate others. The state information should also hear the complaints appeal cases of the female-appellants on a priority basis. The Jammu and Kashmir Women Commission, Ministry of Social Welfare and Women Development Corporation should also aware the women about this empowering law so that they can use it in their day to day life. The Non-Government Organizations of Jammu and Kashmir that are giving cold shoulder to the RTI Act should also educate women and citizens about this humane law . However elsewhere in the country the women are spearheading the Right to Information campaigns and have been able to help themselves and other weaker section of the society with this powerful tool . When we have talented and educated women in every field of the society then why in our state we do not have any female RTI-Activist yet.
Recently the state government released the data of total number of RTI applications received by Public Information Officers of different departments of the state government. Official version of the government says Just 7000 Right to Information applications have been filed by the citizens in all since March 2010, whereas we are the population of more than 12 million people. Most of these RTI applications are submitted by male-citizens and unfortunately female folk remained very lethargic in tendering RTI applications. Most of the Public information officers during their interaction admitted that number of RTI applications received from female applicants are almost negligible
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
Sunday, March 18, 2012
An Interview with Tribune
In a tete-e-tete with The Tribune team, Raman Sharma, RTI activist, talks about RTI as a tool to eradicate corruption
For Raman Sharma, who has put up over 300 RTI applications, the RTI is not just a tool to seek information, it is a magic wand that can be used to eradicate corruption as well as a means of lodging a democratic protest.
“If we want the government to take action in the larger interest of the public, we can flood them with RTI applications on one issue. The pressure will make the government act,” he says while talking to The Tribune team during an interaction.
A research scholar Mahesh Kaul from the Faculty of Management Studies, Jammu University and Arvind Sharma, a sociologist, also joined the interaction.
Following are the excerpts:
Jupinderjit Singh (JS): What inspired you to utilise RTI for seeking information?
Raman Sharma (RS): It all began from Jammu railway station. While seeing off a relative, I saw domestic cylinders being used by vendors at the platform. I asked station superintendent about the misuse as Jammuites were facing a shortage of LPG cylinders. He rendered me speechless by asking what authority I had to question him.
A year later, RTI came into being and I put up an application to the Indian Railways. It had an immediate impact as vendors had to use commercial cylinders within few days. That officer too would have known that a common citizen had the authority to ask questions.
Sunaina Kaul (SK): What is the process for filing a RTI application?
RS: There are two acts, one is Central RTI Act, 2005, and another is the J&K RTI Act, 2009.
For Central RTI Act, an applicant can file an application on a plain paper with a nominal fee of Rs 10 only which can be paid via postal order or in cash to the department or other permissible mode. Even if an applicant is not aware of the address of the public information officer (PIO) concerned, application may also be filed with any PIO, who becomes liable to forward it to the competent authorities. The best is to give the application at a local post office where the PIO post office would forward the application on its own. Then, all departments have websites on which they have given addresses of PIOs.
Under the JK RTI Act, an application is to be submitted with a fee of Rs 50 either in the shape of IPO or stamp papers. The rest of the procedure is the same, but here the PIOs usually do not accept the application if it does not pertain to their department.
Arvind Sharma (sociologist): How can illiterate and blind persons make use of the RTI?
RS: They are equally empowered. The PIOs in every government department are duty bound to make arrangements for applications on behalf of illiterate, blind or other physically challenged persons. There is a provision to give them verbal reply also, if the applicant opts for that.
DM: What has been your area of focus in filing RTI applications. From which departments have you sought more information?
RS: I have never filed any application for personal reason. My only aim is to file applications in the interest of the general public. There is no question of targeting any particular department. I have filed applications only to serve interest of the common masses. For example, the Income Tax Department takes 24 or even 36 months to refund excess tax deducted at source. We are generally unaware that they have to return it within 60 days. When I put an application on behalf of a person, the refund came in 17 days.
Mahesh Kaul (research scholar): What has been your joyous moment with the RTI?
RS: I applied for the copy of the FIR of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. When I got it, I was elated. You would be surprised to know that by that time even the National Archives of India did not have the copy of the same.
JJS: From your experience, tell us how powerful the Right to Information is and how best can we use it?
RS: I often say that the RTI is a magic wand in the hand of common citizens of the country, who were earlier deprived of any authority to ask questions from the government. Today, you can not only ask a government official, minister or department to answer your query but also force them to take action. Wherever I go to spread awareness, I tell people to file applications in a group. Like, just few days ago, I have decided to build a pressure for the restoration work of Mubarak Mandi. The work is going on too slow. I have put up an application seeking details of the delay and the cost escalation. I have also arranged that 50 persons would file similar queries. This will surely force the government to act so that they don’t have to keep answering people daily.
But one must take care on how to use the information. We have to remember that RTI is a mean but not an end to the problem. The information received is the real power and how best we use it would help us in solving problems concerning the public.
Sunaina Kaul (SK): How was your experience in filing RTI with the Centre government departments and applications with the state?
Raman: Pretty bad with the state government. You would be surprised to know that out of over 300, I have filed around 20 RTI applications in various departments like the Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Development Authority and the Regional Transport Office, but there is no response. This is more painful for me as the state was probably the only one in the country where citizens had the right to ask questions during the princely era. There was a system of “sawaal lagana” (making a query) in which common citizens asked the then officials. Usually, they asked questions from the revenue department. The most shocking experience was that when I went to the RTO office, the officer concerned was unaware about the RTI Act and about his duties and responsibilities as PIO. Also, JK residents have so far put just 534 applications, the state that enjoys the status of being at no. 2 in corruption, 534 applications are negligible. The Centre government departments are well oiled in this regard and I am totally satisfied with their speedy response and replies in nearly all the applications.
JJS: What do you do with the information?
RS: I preserve some with me for future use or for asking more information or I share with the media if it deserves an exposure. But I don’t share information that can lead to law and order problem. Generally, my information is regarding an unfinished work and the moment the work is done, it is a closed chapter for me.
Ashutosh Sharma (AS): There is no chairperson for the State Information Commission. Is it affecting the movement?
Raman: It is true that the SIC is headless and has therefore disappointed people over a period of time. Unless a person is appointed, action against officials not furnishing information cannot be taken.
Dinesh Manhotra (DM): What is the provision if any department provides wrong information?
RS: In the RTI Act, there is a provision of penalty if any officer provides wrong information. One can approach even the information commissioner concerned in such case.
Mahesh Kaul: As you are aware, ours is a sensitive state with regional aspirations proving stronger than general public cause. Have you seen some change in the RTI applications between Jammu region and Kashmir region?
RS: It is up to the applicant that what he wants to ask. Unless the national interest is not harmed, he is free to seek any information and details.
JSS: If you are allowed to amend both RTI Acts, what would be your attributions and depletions?
RS: As far as the Central RTI Act is concerned, I do not find any lacuna. But there is a lot to do with the J&K RTI Act. The state government should allow the use the Act even to non-state subjects. Application fee od Rs 50 is excess amount for a common citizen, especially students. There should also be a provision for punitive actions against officers who deliberately ignore the provisions of the Act. Lastly, RTI applicants should be ensured security, if required.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100515/jkplus.htm
TEA WITH THE TRIBUNE ‘RTI is a magic wand for commoners’ Raman Sharma, RTI activist
In a tete-e-tete with The Tribune team, Raman Sharma, RTI activist, talks about RTI as a tool to eradicate corruption
“If we want the government to take action in the larger interest of the public, we can flood them with RTI applications on one issue. The pressure will make the government act,” he says while talking to The Tribune team during an interaction.
A research scholar Mahesh Kaul from the Faculty of Management Studies, Jammu University and Arvind Sharma, a sociologist, also joined the interaction.
Following are the excerpts:
Jupinderjit Singh (JS): What inspired you to utilise RTI for seeking information?
Raman Sharma (RS): It all began from Jammu railway station. While seeing off a relative, I saw domestic cylinders being used by vendors at the platform. I asked station superintendent about the misuse as Jammuites were facing a shortage of LPG cylinders. He rendered me speechless by asking what authority I had to question him.
A year later, RTI came into being and I put up an application to the Indian Railways. It had an immediate impact as vendors had to use commercial cylinders within few days. That officer too would have known that a common citizen had the authority to ask questions.
Sunaina Kaul (SK): What is the process for filing a RTI application?
RS: There are two acts, one is Central RTI Act, 2005, and another is the J&K RTI Act, 2009.
For Central RTI Act, an applicant can file an application on a plain paper with a nominal fee of Rs 10 only which can be paid via postal order or in cash to the department or other permissible mode. Even if an applicant is not aware of the address of the public information officer (PIO) concerned, application may also be filed with any PIO, who becomes liable to forward it to the competent authorities. The best is to give the application at a local post office where the PIO post office would forward the application on its own. Then, all departments have websites on which they have given addresses of PIOs.
Under the JK RTI Act, an application is to be submitted with a fee of Rs 50 either in the shape of IPO or stamp papers. The rest of the procedure is the same, but here the PIOs usually do not accept the application if it does not pertain to their department.
Arvind Sharma (sociologist): How can illiterate and blind persons make use of the RTI?
RS: They are equally empowered. The PIOs in every government department are duty bound to make arrangements for applications on behalf of illiterate, blind or other physically challenged persons. There is a provision to give them verbal reply also, if the applicant opts for that.
DM: What has been your area of focus in filing RTI applications. From which departments have you sought more information?
RS: I have never filed any application for personal reason. My only aim is to file applications in the interest of the general public. There is no question of targeting any particular department. I have filed applications only to serve interest of the common masses. For example, the Income Tax Department takes 24 or even 36 months to refund excess tax deducted at source. We are generally unaware that they have to return it within 60 days. When I put an application on behalf of a person, the refund came in 17 days.
Mahesh Kaul (research scholar): What has been your joyous moment with the RTI?
RS: I applied for the copy of the FIR of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. When I got it, I was elated. You would be surprised to know that by that time even the National Archives of India did not have the copy of the same.
JJS: From your experience, tell us how powerful the Right to Information is and how best can we use it?
RS: I often say that the RTI is a magic wand in the hand of common citizens of the country, who were earlier deprived of any authority to ask questions from the government. Today, you can not only ask a government official, minister or department to answer your query but also force them to take action. Wherever I go to spread awareness, I tell people to file applications in a group. Like, just few days ago, I have decided to build a pressure for the restoration work of Mubarak Mandi. The work is going on too slow. I have put up an application seeking details of the delay and the cost escalation. I have also arranged that 50 persons would file similar queries. This will surely force the government to act so that they don’t have to keep answering people daily.
But one must take care on how to use the information. We have to remember that RTI is a mean but not an end to the problem. The information received is the real power and how best we use it would help us in solving problems concerning the public.
Sunaina Kaul (SK): How was your experience in filing RTI with the Centre government departments and applications with the state?
Raman: Pretty bad with the state government. You would be surprised to know that out of over 300, I have filed around 20 RTI applications in various departments like the Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Development Authority and the Regional Transport Office, but there is no response. This is more painful for me as the state was probably the only one in the country where citizens had the right to ask questions during the princely era. There was a system of “sawaal lagana” (making a query) in which common citizens asked the then officials. Usually, they asked questions from the revenue department. The most shocking experience was that when I went to the RTO office, the officer concerned was unaware about the RTI Act and about his duties and responsibilities as PIO. Also, JK residents have so far put just 534 applications, the state that enjoys the status of being at no. 2 in corruption, 534 applications are negligible. The Centre government departments are well oiled in this regard and I am totally satisfied with their speedy response and replies in nearly all the applications.
JJS: What do you do with the information?
RS: I preserve some with me for future use or for asking more information or I share with the media if it deserves an exposure. But I don’t share information that can lead to law and order problem. Generally, my information is regarding an unfinished work and the moment the work is done, it is a closed chapter for me.
Ashutosh Sharma (AS): There is no chairperson for the State Information Commission. Is it affecting the movement?
Raman: It is true that the SIC is headless and has therefore disappointed people over a period of time. Unless a person is appointed, action against officials not furnishing information cannot be taken.
Dinesh Manhotra (DM): What is the provision if any department provides wrong information?
RS: In the RTI Act, there is a provision of penalty if any officer provides wrong information. One can approach even the information commissioner concerned in such case.
Mahesh Kaul: As you are aware, ours is a sensitive state with regional aspirations proving stronger than general public cause. Have you seen some change in the RTI applications between Jammu region and Kashmir region?
RS: It is up to the applicant that what he wants to ask. Unless the national interest is not harmed, he is free to seek any information and details.
JSS: If you are allowed to amend both RTI Acts, what would be your attributions and depletions?
RS: As far as the Central RTI Act is concerned, I do not find any lacuna. But there is a lot to do with the J&K RTI Act. The state government should allow the use the Act even to non-state subjects. Application fee od Rs 50 is excess amount for a common citizen, especially students. There should also be a provision for punitive actions against officers who deliberately ignore the provisions of the Act. Lastly, RTI applicants should be ensured security, if required.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100515/jkplus.htm
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
After RTI…..?
Transparency is okay, but what about accountability!
Greater Kashmir, 13-Feb-2012
BY: RAMAN SHARMA
With each passing day, the most talked and obviously powerful civil right, i.e. Right to Information Act is gaining momentum in Jammu and Kashmir State and helping the citizens to get the information from the government and administration. In this process of obtaining information many RTI users have been able to unearth major scams in the state. Now, the officers, the Public Information Officers are providing information to the general public and there is a tangible change one can see where officers respecting the provisions of the transparency law. This fact is even authenticated by many RTI activists that now by and large their RTI pleas are being responded by the officers. But on the other side, the activists feel helpless when after hectic exercise and paying hefty RTI fees, the information they collect remain just piece of papers and the purpose for what the information is sought remains absent. RTI is just a preliminary means to highlight the corruption related issues, otherwise the scope of RTI (the PIO, 1st appellate authority or the state information commission) is limited.
This is the reason that now the citizenry and activists demanding accountability in the system. ‘‘Openness is Okay but what about accountability? The information that citizens receive under RTI after hectic efforts remain useless in absence of any strong institutions that can make the corrupt officers and institutions accountable and initiate proceedings against them. For follow up, we have no strong institutions, we urge the government to strengthen its other organizations also for ensuing accountability ’’ demands Dr. RR Khajuria a known social activists and founder chairman of Vichar Kranti Manch International. The real journey starts after receiving the information and the data from the public authorities, most of the citizens do not know what to do after getting the information. However in personal RTI pleas the appellants after getting the requisite information approach the court of law for getting the justice but in case of mass corruption, huge land scams, irregularities and deviation of stipulated rules by the officers and the departments, the information seekers remain helpless. As of now, the citizens remain confused as there is no such institution in the state where they can go with the information in their hands for seeking action against the defaulters and remedial measures. There are strong voices demanding straight action from the Accountability Commission. Shafiq Mir, Sarpanch of remote village Poshana, Bufflaiz block in Poonch and an RTI activists says “I think after RTI exposures, it is the duty of the accountability commission to take the cognizance of at least serious cases and obviously the accountability commission has a bigger role to play, the Commission must prove its credibility by nailing the big fishes, otherwise this all seems an eye wash ”. In few cases it has also been noticed that many applicants even after getting the information under the RTI act eyes the State Information Commission for remedy but being ignorant of the fact that the SIC cannot move beyond a point, it has a limited jurisdiction.
Therefore despite getting the valuable information with them the citizens feel powerless and helpless. Though textually, the state government has appointed the members of the state accountability commission where an ordinary citizen can file a complaint related to corruption cases against the politicians. But we all know that this institution of SAC is almost defunct since last more than 3 years. And who knows the fate of those cases against the bureaucrats that are registered with the state vigilance organization; the corruption cases against the bureaucrats are never given sanction by the state general administration department. Therefore it is expected that the state government would soon be taking necessary measures in this regard so that both openness and accountability go together.
(Raman Sharma, is an RTI activist and can be reached at jkrtiact@gmail.com)
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
RTI Is Friend To All
Why Do I Recommend RTI For Everyone ?
By:Raman Sharma
Let everyone know that Right to Information Act is not focused against anyone and it can only serve the interest of the society and a right-doing person has no reason to worry about this act. Often officers say that people are using RTI to defame and encroach privacy of the officers and also to grind personal gains. But such allegations are baseless, since the provisions of the RTI do not allow any applicant to interfere in personal life of any individual unless public money is involved in the case.
Now if the officers want to say that their family members are using official vehicle for the private parties and picnics and people do ask about such details then it cannot be said that applicants are in anyway encroaching upon their privacy.
RTI is perhaps the only law which enables even an individual to make government machinery working. We all know in our country and particularly in Jammu and Kashmir innocent people have to come on streets, they are forced to adopt the path of violence and draw attention of the media and only then an FIR is registered forget the follow up done by the agencies, but with the power of Right to Information Act the people need not to do such hectic exercises for their democratic rights.
If officers want to say that if they are keeping an innocent person in illegal confinement and some RTI applicant ask them to give reason for the illegal detention; then is that also breach of privacy of the officer(s)? RTI is just to make officers and government accountable so that no injustice is done to the citizens.
The perception that RTI is against the bureaucrats and government officers is totally false, Right to Information can even help them. In many cases the government officers have been able to get justice with the help of RTI Act. Their illegal and void transfer orders have been revert back. Many retired employees have been able to get their pension cases settled which were pending for the past so many years. Now, employees using RTI to get details of their G.P.F and P.F funds.
Once again it is advised that do not be afraid of RTI power but you also need to exercise this right and feel the essence of the democracy.
For, every member of our society RTI has a significant role.
For students: They can use RTI to get information related to excess fee charged, delay in exams and results, and against error in declared result.
For Legal Professionals: The legal fertility can use this act to collect evidences and gathering details like orders, circulars regarding the case, so that they can pursue their case effectively and help the judiciary in deciding the case in a time bound manner.
For Patients: From any health institute the patient or his family member can seek every detail related to the facilities a patient entitled to avail thus making the institute to give better services.
For Housewives: They need and can use this act more effectively, if a housewife is not able to get her booked LPG cylinder in prescribed time then she may approach the Oil company and can ask the reason for delay ultimately making the agency holder to act and ensure delivery well in time.
For Consumers: With increasing buying habits we all are becoming victim of the companies and individuals, often we are served with poor quality of service and low quality material. With the help of RTI we can make these companies accountable. If a person is being deprived of the service which he is suppose to be provided then he may approach the head of the company concerned through an RTI application.
For Civil Society: Now, people need not to worry about poor condition of the road or an open manhole. Just file an RTI application to the department concerned and how fast road is being done and manhole comes back. Or a broken letter box is repaired in a few days.
For Politicians: The politicians always remain busy in gathering information which can bring the weakness of the government so that they can build pressure on the government. The politicians can use RTI to bring the corruption of any department into notice of the government and public. Ultimately it also serves the interest of the general public.
For Historians: RTI can be helpful to historians who are engaged in writing on past events; they can seek the copy of documents and can use that in his assignment.
For Government: RTI can serve the government even in a much broader way, it helps in building a habit of accountability and transparency amongst the officers. It also reduces fake and heavy TA, DA bills of the officers and officials. Channelize the hotchpotch system of the government offices.
For NGO's: In our system NGO's play an important for the welfare of the downtrodden people of the society. They have been able to bring significant changes be it women empowerment or girl education. The NGO's can seek information on any issue of public importance and make department concerned to act on that. They can also seek information related to various schemes run by the different agencies of the government.
For Journalists: Journalists play the role of all above mentioned members of the society they have even more responsibilities and are epicenter of expectations of the society members. They have a crucial role to play. For the RTI is a never ending source of daily stories, as far as profession of journalism is concerned there is a need and appetite of gathering information for self use and for references in the stories. Thus recommending RTI to journalists must be appreciated.
There is no one in our society who cannot feel the wonderful experiences of RTI. Hence every member of the society should exercise his democratic right and file at least one application under Right to Information Act.
Writer, Raman Sharma is a devoted RTI activist, feedback@: jkrtiact@gmail.com
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
By Mohinder Verma
DAILY EXCELSIOR, 04-JAN-2012
JAMMU, Jan 3: Notwithstanding much thrust on clearance of pendency by organizing Lok Adalats in different
parts of the State, over 2.77 lakh cases are still pending in various courts including both the wings of State High Court and clearing entire back-log is a matter of concern for the judiciary.According to the official data, out of total 2,77,914 cases pending in different courts across the State, 81027 are pending for disposal in both the wings of the High Court only. Of these 39087 are the main cases while as 41940 are miscellaneous
To settle such a large number of cases, there are presently only seven Judges in the High Court against the sanctioned strengthen of 14 including Chief Justice. These are Justice F M Ibrahim Kallifulla, Chief Justice of the High Court, Justice Virender Singh, Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir, Justice J P Singh, Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir, Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Justice Hasnain Masoodi.
Earlier, the number of High Court Judges was eight but due to transfer of Justice Sunil Hali to Allahabad High Court the vacancy has risen to seven, said the details furnished by the office of Registrar General of State High Court, Jammu in response to an application moved under J&K Right to Information Act, 2009 by RTI activist Raman Sharma.
About the reasons for not appointing the sanctioned number of High Court Judges, which is imperative for early clearance of pending cases, the official said, "the process of elevation against vacancies is under the consideration. The sanctioned strength of the High Court will be filled as and when elevation process is completed".
The situation vis-à-vis pendency of cases is more worrisome in the Districts Courts, Sub-Judge Courts, Munsiff Courts as till ending June 2011, a total of 1,96,887 cases were pending in these courts. Of these, 72121 were civil and 124766 criminal cases, the official information said.
In the District Courts, a total of 42033 cases were pending, which included 22217 civil and 19816 criminal. Similarly, a total of 65985 cases including 23280 civil and 42705 criminal were pending in the Sub-Judge Courts. A total of 88869 cases including 26624 civil and 62245 criminal were pending in Munsiff Courts.
The Subordinate Judiciary is also facing shortage of Judges albeit not much. As against sanctioned strength of 68 District Judges inclusive of 2 ex-cadre posts, the District Judges are in place on 60 posts.
In response to a question, the PIO of Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs said that District Judges are being appointed on the recommendation of the High Court and the vacant posts would be filled up only on the receipt of any proposal from the High Court in this regard. He, however, said that presently no such proposal is pending before the Law Department.
"Keeping in view the pendency of cases, it is imperative to speed up the process of filling up of vacant posts of Judges in the High Court as well as Subordinate Judiciary", official sources stressed, adding "every effort must be made to fill this gap so that pendency of cases is cleared without any further delay".
From Jehangir Rashid
Daily Excelsior 22-Nov-2011
SRINAGAR, Nov 21: Kashmir University has spent huge amount of money on the renovation of the residence of the Vice Chancellor while a whooping amount of over ` 15 crore has been paid to the Power Development Department (PDD) as electricity tariff.
The details were made public by the Assistant Public Information Officer (APIO), University of Kashmir in response to an RTI application filed by Raman Sharma. In his RTI, Sharma had sought details about the expenditure made by the University since January 2005.
The APIO said that ` 35 lakhs have been spent on the renovation of Vice-Chancellor's lodge during 2008-09. "This money was used in renovation of bathrooms by way of plumbing and sanitary, renovation of kitchen and shelters, painting CGI roofing and allied works and renovation of different electric works."
He said ` 1,40,675 has been spent on the renovation of the Vice-Chancellor's secretariat during 2008-09 and 2009-10. Referring to the other expenses made by the University authorities, the APIO said that an amount of ` 15,11,59,073 has been spent as booked expenditure of the electricity charges from 2004-05 to 2010-11.
In his reply, the APIO has said that 36 vehicles were purchased by the university authorities from January 1, 2005 to October 31, 2011. He said the value of total purchases stands at more than ` 2 crore. He said that maximum number of vehicles were purchased in 2008 with the number being 14.
"During 2005, three vehicles were purchased while as identical number of vehicles were purchased during 2006. During 2007, eight vehicles were purchased while as the number of vehicles purchased during 2008 stands at 14. In 2009, seven vehicles were purchased while as one vehicle was purchased during 2010," said the APIO in his reply.
The APIO has also provided information about the booked expenditure with regard to TA/DA paid to Vice-Chancellors, telephone charges, advertisement expenses, computer equipments, scholarships/ fellowships, advertisement of Directorate of Distance Education and late fee from 2004-05 to 2010-11. He said the different departments of the varsity spent around ` 4 crores. More than two crores were spend on the holding of seminars, workshops and conferences from January 1, 2005 to October 31, 2011.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Professor Talat Ahmad has ordered that the transport fleet of the varsity would no longer ferry the heads of departments to the university from their home and vice-versa as the fuel charges of these vehicles have touched new heights.
The Vice-Chancellor has kept at his disposal four vehicles that would be used for ferrying the HODs at the time of dire emergency. This move was necessitated following the revelation that 36 vehicles were purchased by the varsity authorities during the six years (2005-2010) and there was huge fleet of over 100 vehicles in the varsity.
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
RTI TREE
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
Saturday, March 17, 2012
The Northlies , 17-March-2012, | ||
NL Correspondent Jammu, Mar. 16: After making tall claims of brining transparency and accountability in the administration the Jammu and Kashmir government is now all set to trim the Right to Information Act in the state, which somehow have helped the people to get justice in a dignified manner. Jammu and Kashmir Government have exempted State's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) from the purview of Right to Information Act 2009. Vide SRO 26 and GAD order No. GAD(Adm.)110/2009-V dated 12-March-2012, the state government in exercise of the powers conferred by section 21 of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act, 2009, the Government specified the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as an organization of the State which is now not liable to provide information to the citizens. Section 21 (1) of the J & K RTI Act 2009 allows the state government to put intelligence and security organizations out of the purview of the act by virtue of a gazette notification for the purpose but in cases of corruption and Human Rights Violation, the organization is still liable to provide information after the approval of the state information commission. However as per Section 21 (2) of the J & K RTI Act 2009, every notification for exemption for any organization is to be tabled before each house of the state legislature. This move of the state government will deprive the citizens to seek status of their passport applications pending with the CID for verification. It is pertinent to mention here that in Jammu and Kashmir in view of the so called militancy situation, Passports under Normal and Tatkal Categories are granted only after receipt of the Clear Final Police Verification Report, verifying & authenticating the antecedents as well as photograph of the applicants by the CID Headquarter . As of now the passport applicants were successfully using RTI applications to get timely verification of their passport verification which otherwise remain pending with the department for quite a long time.
http://www.thenorthlines.com/newsdet.aspx?q=50603
Independent MLA marshalled out from JK Assembly over CID issuePTI | Mar-19-2012 |
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
‘State Govt’s official website defunct’
GAD gets RTI plea
Greater Kashmir, 15-March-2012
Jammu, Mar 14: Irked by the defunct webpage of the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s official website—www.jammukashmir.nic.in for past 18 months, RTI activist Raman Sharma has filed an application to the General Administration Department under Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act, 2009 seeking reasons for it.
In his RTI plea, the activist has asked the name of the department and officers responsible for failing to update the website. He has also sought details about the amount of money spent by the department for creation of this site.
In his plea, he has requested the concerned PIO to provide details of the present status of the website and the time in which the webpage will be updated.
Raman Sharma, the RTI activist is a journalist by profession, associated with credible newspapers and magazines published from J & K. His writings include articles on the subject like Transparency and Accountability particularly focusing on Right to Information Act in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also successfully completed a Certificate Course in RTI initiated by Centre for Good governance, Hyderabad In collaboration with the Department of Personal and Training. Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India. On the invitation of Jammu University, he has also delivered guest lectures on RTI to educate college students of different colleges of Jammu region . Sharma along with his other colleagues have also been accompanied and served as resource person with the faculty members of JK Institute of Management and Public Administration and Rural Development (J K IMPA) for imparting and conducting RTI Training programs for District Officers and Public Information Officers in different districts of Jammu region. He can also be reached at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM Mobile: 9796811012, 9086232994.
www.facebook.com/jkrtiact
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