RTI reveals No ban on Scribbled Currency Notes

File Complaint if Banks Refuse to Accept Scribbled Notes : RBI in an RTI Reply

File Complaint if Banks Refuse to Accept Notes with Writing on them : RBI in an RTI Reply

Jammu, 24/May/2017: Reserve Bank of India have clarified that it had not issued any circular to banks not to accept Indian Currency notes with scribbling or writing on them with pen or pencil.

While  responding to an RTI application of Jammu resident Raman Sharma in this regard, the Central Public Information Officer of department of Currency Management of  the Reserve Bank of India vide his office letter no. RBIND/R/2017/51409/1  dated 22/May/2017 have made it clear that the reserve bank have not issued any circular or directive to the banks not to accept Indian legal currency notes with writing on them.

The CPIO of the bank in his official communication have also informed that one   may register a complaint in case of refusal by the bank to accept the scribbled notes and if the bank’s reply is not satisfactory then complaint may be register with the Bank’s Ombudsman.  Moreover in the reply the Reserve bank have also made it clear that one may even exchange scribbled or notes with writing on them at the RBI exchange counters .

In the reply, the RBI also referred the press notes issued by it on 31/Dec/2013 wherein it is being stated “ in the wake of rumours circulating in the matter that from January, 01, 2014, the banks will not accept banknotes with anything written on them, the Reserve bank has urged members of the public not to fall prey to such rumours and to use their bank notes without any fear, the RBI has clarified that it has not issued any such instructions”.

It is pertinent to mention here that recently after Nov-8 last year after the demonetization of Rs. 2000 and Rs 500 notes,  mostly bank staff members refused to accept  currency notes with written anything on them citing direction of the Reserve Bank of India thus cause lot of inconvenience    to general public.

While expressing satisfaction over the reply and clarification by the Reserve Bank of India in this regard, Raman Sharma the applicant thanked the RBI and urged the people not to believe hearsay and in case any bank refuse to accept their hard earned money with written something on it just fight for the right , however he also appealed the people not to deliberately deface the currency notes as it may create difficulty in identifying the genuineness of the legal currency notes because with scribbling and writing on them hides very important security features of the currency notes.  

Many private and public sector banks have even  pasted notices cautioning the account holders that writing anything on bank notes is a criminal offence and such notes shall not be accepted in their bank branches.

Samba Police Deactivates its Defunct Website

CM Secretariat’s Directive Compels Samba Police to Deactivate its Defunct Website

Jammu, 21/May/2017: Following Complaint of a citizen and then after communication from the chief minister’s secretariat, the Samba Police finally compelled to deactivate its official website that was serving obsolete information to the citizens for years together. On 10^th of this month, Jammu resident Raman Sharma had filed a complaint with the Chief Minister Grievance Cell complaining that the official website of Samba Police ‘Samabpolic.gov.in’ was serving obsolete information to the citizens and the visitors of the website.

In his Complaint through JK CM grievance Cell (66498), the complainant had submitted “The clock and calendar of district Police Samba perhaps not moving with the Indian Standard Time and Calendar Years and this is the reason that even till date their website is informing people that Sh. Ashok Parsad , IPS is Director General of State Police, moreover the picture of the former DGP of the state is also published there prominently along with former IGP Jammu, former DIG Jammu Kathua Samba Range, even the photo of former SSP Samba along with his name is mentioned and shown as incumbent SSP in the website.”

The complainant had also questioned the digitalization and modernization of records in the state police when the government of India and the state government were spending million of rupees for it. He had also demanded a probe to identify the negligent officers of the Samba police who did not updated the contents of the website after year 2013.

Taking cognizance of Raman’s complaint, the CM secretariat on 18/May/2017 forwarded the complaint to SSP Samba to dispose of it an earliest and thus finally the district police deactivated its websites perhaps to undertake necessary upgradation of the content and information. 

http://jkrtiact.blogspot.in/2017/05/samba-police-website-defunct-since-last.html

Activists Appeal JKPSC to Expedite RTI Replies

Jammu, 11/May/2017: Concerned over the difficulties faced by the candidates due to delay in getting information under Right to Information Act from Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), today a joint appeal has been made by activists and lawyers to the government and the JKPSC to expedite the process of furnishing RTI replies to the applicants wherein candidates demand copies of their answer keys, merit list or any other information related to exam and declared results.

Citing the example of recently declared result of KAS-2017(Prelim) wherein  several candidates being not satisfied with the result have filed RTI applications to the JKPSC and asked for certified copies of their exam answer scripts  and other allied information but unfortunately the JKPSC has not been able to respond to their applications expeditiously but waiting for upper time limit of 30 days to respond to their applications.

In the  joint appeal endorsed by RTI activists Deepak Sharma , Raman Sharma  and Advocates of J & K High court  Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, Vilakshan Singh, Hunar Gupta and Dewaker Sharma  they demanded that in such cases where the question of one’s future is attached, the officers should show some sanity and furnish the information without delaying tactics.

Referring  section 7 (1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to information act 2009 , the activists plea stated that it’s amply clear in the law that the information should be provided to an information seeker at an earliest and 30 days time is the maximum limit.  

 They also quoted the verbatim of the law, “...the PIO on receipt of a request unders section 6 shall expeditiously as possible but  in any case 30 days...” and urged that PIOs should understand the law in perspective and provide the information  expeditiously.

Sample RTI APLICATION FOR JKPSC : 

http://jkrtiact.blogspot.in/2013/10/sample-rti-application-for-jkpsc.html

  

http://www.thenewsnow.co.in/newsdet.aspx?q=28920

Samba Police Website Defunct Since Last 4 Years

Complaint  filed Against Samba Police for Publishing Obsolete Information on its Website

Jammu, 10/May/2017: A complaint against district police Samba is presented before the Chief Minister,  Mehbooba Mufti for  serving obsolete information to the citizens through their  official website  “ Sambapolice.gov.in” .

In the complaint, submitted through online portal popularly known as CM grievance cell, (No: 66498) by a Jammu resident and RTI activist Raman Sharma it is being submitted that the samba police website is showing Ashok Parsad , IPS as Director General of State Police and his photo is also published  along with former IGP Jammu, former DIG Jammu-Kathua-Samba Range, even the photo of former SSP Samba along with his name is mentioned and shown as incumbent SSP in the website. Whereas there is no mentioning of name or photo of factual incumbent officers.

Expressing displeasure over the out dated information served to the people through district police  website , the complainant has submitted “It is really very unfortunate that on one side the Union  government of India and even the state government of Jammu and Kashmir  is taking various measures for digitalization and modernization of our police force and spending crores of rupees for computerization of records but on the other hand there are some people who defying it with impunity”.

Sharma has also alleged that obsolete information published in the website reveals that the website has not been updated for years as no officer of the district police ever took  pain to update the information on their official website.

Demanding inquiry in the negligent act, he has urged the CM to order a high level probe to identify the delinquent officers/official and direct the officers to immediately update the webpage. Snapshot of the webpage http://sambapolice.gov.in/  have also been attached with the prayer to the Chief Minister.

Anticipating any revengeful action from any inattentive officer whose negligence and incompetency is being exposed in the petition, in his complaint to the CM, the petitioner have made it clear that he should not be unnecessarily harassed for highlighting this negligence of the police department.

It is pertinent to mention here in the website it is clearly mentioned that it was last updated 4 years ago on 09/Dec/2013.

ON 18/May 2017 CM's Secretariat forwards Complaint to SSP Samba and then this Website goes off, deactivated.

CM Secretariat’s Directive Compels Samba Police to Deactivate its Defunct Website

Jammu, 21/May/2017: Following Complaint of a citizen and then after communication from the chief minister’s secretariat, the Samba Police finally compelled to deactivate its official website that was serving obsolete information to the citizens for years together. On 10^th of this month, Jammu resident Raman Sharma had filed a complaint with the Chief Minister Grievance Cell complaining that the official website of Samba Police ‘Samabpolic.gov.in’ was serving obsolete information to the citizens and the visitors of the website.

In his Complaint through JK CM grievance Cell (66498), the complainant had submitted “The clock and calendar of district Police Samba perhaps not moving with the Indian Standard Time and Calendar Years and this is the reason that even till date their website is informing people that Sh. Ashok Parsad , IPS is Director General of State Police, moreover the picture of the former DGP of the state is also published there prominently along with former IGP Jammu, former DIG Jammu Kathua Samba Range, even the photo of former SSP Samba along with his name is mentioned and shown as incumbent SSP in the website.”

The complainant had also questioned the digitalization and modernization of records in the state police when the government of India and the state government were spending million of rupees for it. He had also demanded a probe to identify the negligent officers of the Samba police who did not updated the contents of the website after year 2013.

Taking cognizance of Raman’s complaint, the CM secretariat on 18/May/2017 forwarded the complaint to SSP Samba to dispose of it an earliest and thus finally the district police deactivated its websites perhaps to undertake necessary upgradation of the content and information. 

Email IDs OF Journalists Cannot be Shared Under RTI: PIB

PIB Denies Sharing Email Ids of Journalists under RTI

Jammu, 03/May/2017:  Raising a legal debate, Press Information Bureau (PIB), the nodal agency of the Government of India to disseminate information to the print and electronic media on government policies and programmes has refused to share information under RTI act about email ids of Journalists available with it.

In response to an online RTI application of Raman Sharma a resident of Jammu , Nidhi Pandey, Central Public Information Officer and  Additional Director General of Press Information Bureau refused to share information wherein the applicant  had sought information about the email ids of accredited journalists. Citing email ids of journalists as  ‘Third Party information’, the senior officer of the PIB denied sharing information with the information seeker.  However the Press Information Bureau provided a general list depicting name, their organization and category of the 2333 journalists accredited with the Bureau.

The denial of sharing email ids of accredited journalists under RTI Act claiming it as ‘Third Party’ information instigates a legal debate because as per section 11 of the Right to Information Act 2005,  Third Party information is,  “  the information or record which relates to or has been supplied by a third and has been treated as confidential by that third party “. 

The applicant, Raman Sharma in his reaction to the denial of sharing email ids of accredited journalists by the CPIO  said he would seek legal opinion in this regard and if required,  a review appeal before the appellate authority shall be submitted within next few days. 

However Sharma refused to attach any motive or prejudice on part of  CPIO or the Press Information Bureau in denying information and said it is a question of law and the CPIO reserves the right to deny information which she believes is not giveable under the provisions of the RTI Law.

Published in The News Now, Kashmir Times

IMPA Organizes RTI Training Program for Senior Officers

29 Senior Officers Trained Including FAAs & PIOs Trained

Jammu, 28/April/2017: To familiarize senior officers of the state government about the Right to Information Law,  JKIMPA, Jammu and Kashmir Institute of Management, Public Administration and Rural Development organized 3-Days training program on  Right to Information Act under the coordinatorship of Dr. Sunita Zalpuri Kaul, Professor and head of center for good governance and administrative reforms.   

The senior officers including designated Public Information officers and first appellate authority (officers) belonging to  department of Social Welfare, Agriculture, Police, engineering health and Education department attended the training program.

In continuation of the training program, on 2^nd day,  the participants were also provided opportunity to attend one day seminar on Right to Information Act, organized by the J & K State Information Commission, inaugurated by Chief Secretary, B R Sharma and attended by Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) J&K, Khurshid A Ganai and G R Sufi former Chief Information Commissioner.

Guest faculty including Senior advocate DC Raina also interacted with the participants and apprised the trainees about the latest court rulings about the RTI law whereas Raman Sharma, RTI practitioner through power point gave a detailed presentation and shared his experiences about the RTI Act and also replied queries of the senior officers.  Dr. Mahesh Kaul and Dr Vivek consultants of the JKIMPA also remained present during the program. 

Dr. Sunita Zalpuri Kaul,  course director and  Riyaz Ahmad Shah, Financial Adviser of JKIMPA awarded certificates to  participants  and asked officers to follow the proper procedure in dealing with RTI pleas. 

http://www.earlytimes.in/m/newsdet.aspx?q=201787

Terrorism in J & K Claimed over 40,000 Lives

Since 1990’s Cycle of Violence in J & K

Over 40,000 Lost their Lives in Terror Attacks

Jammu, 29/April/2017:As per latest data released by the union ministry of home affairs it has been disclosed that over forty thousand human lives have been lost in terror attacks in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir state right from year 1990 to 31/March/2017 and during the same period over 13000 security personals have also been injured in such incidents.

The reply has come to fore in response to an online RTI plea of Jammu resident Raman Sharma, wherein vide his application dated 26/02/2017, he had asked the CPIO of Ministry of Home Affairs to divulge information related to loss of human lives and damage caused to properties belonging to civilians in terror related attacks in Jammu and Kashmir state.

In her reply dated 17^th April/2017, Deputy Secretary cum Chief Public Information Officer of the home ministry has provided the records of 28 years which reveals that right from year 1990 to 31^st March 2017, 40,961 humans have lost their lives in different terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir state including innocent civilians, brave soldiers and dreaded terrorists. It’s been informed  that 13941 Civilians and five thousand fifty five Security personals sacrificed their lives whereas 21,965 terrorists have also been neutralized.

During the last 28 years, 13502 soldiers have also been injured fighting with the terrorists. However skipping some queries, the MHA asked the applicant to ask information related to other queries including loss and damage of property from the Jammu and Kashmir state government as this data was not available with the union government.

The data compiled by the information seeker further reveals that year 2001 witnessed the most violent era, wherein 3552 people lost their lives comprising 996 civilians, 536 security personals and 2020 terrorists besides injuries to 1587 security force personals however the maximum number of civilians were killed in year 1996 which claimed 1341 lives followed by year 1995 where 1031 civilians sacrificed their lives .

After year 2006, there had been a steep decline in the terror related causalities till 2012 which can be said as the most peaceful year in the last 3 decades, in year 2012 there were only 102 causalities including fifteen Civilians, 15 Security Personals and 72 terrorists, only 65 security men  received  injuries while fighting with terrorists. From 2013 onward  there is a vertical rise in the killings due to terror attacks and last year’s killings in terror attacks is more than double that of year 2012, total 247 people lost their lives in 2016 including 15 civilians, 82 security men and 150 terrorists. Till 31^st march of this year, 52 lives have been lost so far comprising 5 civilians, 12 armed force personals and 35 terrorists. 

Data Analyzed

Sought Information  

1. Intimate Year wise number of terror related Blasts-Gun Fire incident happened in State of Jammu and Kashmir during the period 01/Jan/1990 to till date.

2. Intimate year wise number of civilians being killed in Terror related incidents in state of Jammu and Kashmir during the period 01/Jan/1990 to till date.

3. Intimate Year wise number of male/female and children below the age of 14 being killed in terror related incidents in state of Jammu and Kashmir during the period 01/Jan/1990 to till date.

4. Intimate Year wise number of male/female and children below the age of 14 being wounded/injured in terror related incidents in state of Jammu and Kashmir during the period 01/Jan/1990 to till date.

5. Intimate Year wise number of terrorists killed in state of Jammu and Kashmir during the period 01/Jan/1990 to till date.

6. Total year wise number of army-men and other members of the security agencies got killed in the terror related incidents in the state of Jammu and Kashmir during the period 01/Jan/1990 to till date.

7. Total year-wise number of army-men and other members of the security agencies who are injured/wounded in the terror related incidents in the state of Jammu and Kashmir during the period 01/Jan/1990 to till date.

8. Year wise detail of amount property belonging to civilians and government established being destroyed in terror related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir during the above said period. 

9. Intimate year wise number of citizens/families who were forced to migrate from their place of residence due to militancy in the state since 01/Jan/1990 to till date.

........................................................................................................

Published in Greater Kashmir, Early Times, Hindustan Times, Mumbai Mirror, Bangalore Mirror, DNA, Jounrey Line, The News Now, The Tribune, Kashmir Times e.t.c

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http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-kashmir-over-40000- people-including-22000-militants-killed-in-last-27-years- reveals-rti-report-2422689

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/over-40- 000-lives-lost-in-state-due-to-conflict-since-1990/399574.html http://www.kashmirlife.net/40000-deaths-27-years-conflict-j- confirms-mha-139282/

http://www.kashmirlife.net/40000-deaths-27-years-conflict-j-confirms-mha-139282/

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ZEE NEWS:

कश्मीर में साल 1990 से 9 अप्रैल 2017 तक हिंसा में 40,000 से ज्यादा जानें गईं

नई दिल्ली: जम्मू कश्मीर में जारी अलगाववादी हिंसा के दौरान पिछले तीन दशक में 40 हजार से ज्यादा जानें जा चुकी हैं. साल 1990 से 9 अप्रैल 2017 तक की अवधि में मौत के शिकार हुए इन लोगों में स्थानीय नागरिक, सुरक्षा बल के जवान और आतंकवादी शामिल हैं. कश्मीर में हिंसा को लेकर एक आरटीआई के जवाब में गृह मंत्रालय की ओर से जारी ताजा आंकड़ों के मुताबिक पिछले 27 सालों में अब तक राज्य में आतंकवादी गतिविधियों और आतंकवाद विरोधी अभियानों में 40961 लोग मारे गए हैं. जबकि 1990 से 31 मार्च 2017 तक की अवधि में घायल हुए सुरक्षाबल के जवानों की संख्या 13 हजार से अधिक हो गई है.

मंत्रालय की उपसचिव और मुख्य सूचना अधिकारी सुलेखा द्वारा आरटीआई के जवाब में स्थानीय नागरिकों, आतंकवादियों और सुरक्षा बल के जवानों की मौत का 1990 से अब तक का हर साल का आंकड़ा जारी किया है. आंकड़ों के मुताबिक राज्य में बीते तीन दशक की हिंसा के दौरान मारे गए लोगों में 5055 सुरक्षा बल के जवानों की शहादत भी शामिल हैं. जबकि 13502 सैनिक घायल हुए. राज्य में जारी इस आतंकी हिंसा के दौरान स्थानीय नागरिकों की मौत का आंकड़ा 13941 तक पहुंच गया है. आंकड़ों के मुताबिक आतंकी हिंसा के शिकार हुए लोगों में सबसे ज्यादा 21965 मौतें आतंकवादियों की हुई है. आरटीआई में मंत्रालय ने कश्मीर की आतंकवादी हिंसा में संपत्ति को हुये नुकसान की जानकारी देने से इनकार कर दिया. मंत्रालय ने इस बारे में कोई आधिकारिक आंकड़ा नहीं होने के कारण जम्मू निवासी आरटीआई आवेदक रमन शर्मा से जम्मू कश्मीर सरकार से यह जानकारी मांगने को कहा है.

आंकड़ों के विश्लेषण में स्पष्ट होता है कि तीन दशक के हिंसक दौर में मौत के लिहाज से साल 2001 सर्वाधिक हिंसक वर्ष रहा. इस साल हुई 3552 मौत की घटनाओं में 996 स्थानीय लोग और 2020 आतंकवादी मारे गए. जबकि सुरक्षा बल के 536 जवान शहीद हुए. हालांकि स्थानीय नागरिकों की सबसे ज्यादा मौत (1341) साल 1996 में हुई. आंकड़ों के मुताबिक साल 2001 में आतंकवादी हिंसा से जानमाल को सर्वाधिक नुकसान होने के बाद साल 2003 से इसमें लगातार गिरावट दर्ज की गई है. साल 2003 में 795 स्थानीय नागरिकों और 1494 आतंकवादियों की मौत के अलावा 341 सुरक्षा बल के जवान शहीद हुए. इसके बाद साल 2008 से स्थानीय नागरिकों और सुरक्षा बल के जवानों की मौत का आंकड़ा दो अंकों में सिमट गया है. साल 2010 से साल 2016 तक स्थानीय नागरिकों की मौत का आंकड़ा 47 से गिरकर 15 तक आ गया है.

इसके उलट इस अवधि में शहीद हुए सुरक्षा बल के जवानों की संख्या में बढ़ोतरी दर्ज की गई। इस दौरान शहीद हुए सुरक्षा बल के जवानों की संख्या 69 से बढ़कर साल 2016 में 82 तक पहुंच गई. हालांकि साल 2017 में 9 अप्रैल तक 5 स्थानीय नागरिक और 35 आतंकवादी मारे गए. जबकि सुरक्षा बल के 12 जवान शहीद हुए हैं. वहीं इस साल 31 मार्च तक सुरक्षा बल के 219 जवान घायल हो चुके हैं. गत 9 अप्रैल को श्रीनगर लोकसभा क्षेत्र के उपचुनाव के बाद कश्मीर घाटी में अलगाववादी हिंसा तेजी से भड़की है. इसे रोकने के लिए राज्य में सुरक्षा बलों का अभियान जारी है.http://zeenews.india.com/hindi/india/over-40000-lost-lives-since-1990-in-terror-attacks-in-jk/325775 

Despite Complaints 500 New Subscribers Join BSNL Everyday in J&K

In J & K, 500 New Subscribers Join BSNL Everyday

Everyday BSNL Adds 500 New Customers in J & K

Jammu, 13/April/2017: Contrary to the public perception and allegations of poor mobile network connectivity, the Public telecom company, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, (BSNL ) is adding around 500 new subscribers every day.

As per data released by the BSNL in response to an online RTI application of information seeker Raman Sharma, the Chief Public Information officer, Sunil Sharma who is also DGM(CM) of the telecom company has informed that during the last one year  (01/March/2016 to 28/Feb/2017 ), they have  added 182422 new subscribers including 91249 prepaid customers and 91173 Post paid clients means every day 500 new mobile users joining BSNL network.

On the question of total number of complaints received by the BSNL authorities during the last one year, regarding poor mobile connectivity/Call Drop in Jammu and Kashmir Circle, it has been informed by the company that it has received only 487 complaints of call drop from 01/March/2016 to 28/Feb/2017 but the  company preferred silence over the query related to total number of complaints regarding poor mobile connectivity. Interestingly last year,  BSNL in another RTI reply had admitted that over 5200 complaints of customers regarding  poor mobile connectivity were received by them in less than 11 months.

As on date the public sector company have total 1456812 customers including 1064886 pre-paid subscribers and 391926 post paid customers further revealed in the RTI reply.

In another interesting analysis coming out of the reply it’s been disclosed that during the last one year, every week 110 BSNL subscribers using the option of MNP, Mobile number portability are switching to other private mobile networks and the company has lost 5756 subscribers whereas during the same period opting MNP, only 2570 subscribers of other companies switched to BSNL.

Attached Link: http://jkrtiact.blogspot.in/2016/04/j-k-bsnl-gets-over-5700-complaints-in.html

copy of RTI application

copy of RTI reply1

copy of RTI reply2

http://www.risingkashmir.com/news/in-2016-bsnl-enrolled-500-subscribers-every-day-reveals-rti

Kashmir: 50 % posts Lying Vacant in Women Police Stations

Kashmir:  Fifty percent posts Lying vacant in women police    Stations

Srinagar: At least fifty percent posts in three Women police stations of Kashmir are lying vacant.

As per the information provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Police department in an RTI reply to an information seeker, Raman Sharma,  it’s been revealed that almost 50 percent posts of different ranks lying vacant in these three Women Police Stations including WPs Anantnag, Baramulla and WP Srinagar.

As per the data provided by the District Police Srinagar, the sanctioned strength of the staff at women police station Srinagar is 49 whereas the posted strength is just 27 having a clear deficiency of 22 officers. One post each of Sub Inspector, Assistant Sub-Inspector and  Head Constable lying vacant besides 14 posts of constables also lying vacant. 

Similarly, in the women police station Baramulla, against the sanctioned strength of 52, there are only 16 police officers deputed in the P/S leaving a huge deficiency of  36 personals, however 4 SPOs have also been deputed in this police station though there is no sanctioned post of SPO. One post of each Inspector and ASI lying vacant in this police station, 26 posts of constables and 7 followers are also unfilled.

In Women Police Station Anantnag also there is deficiency of at least 22 police officers including 1 inspector, one  SI. Three Posts of Head constable, and 18 posts of constables are also vacant in the Police station. Here also 5 SPOs have been adjusted against unsanctioned posts.

It is pertinent to mention here that in other three Women Police stations falling in Jammu region, including WPs Gandhi Nagar, Udhampur and Rajouri also there are at least   57 vacancies of officers and Jawans out of total sanctioned strength of 152.