DIMAPUR, JANUARY 4 (MExN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) have expressed serious concern over delays in response to Right To Information (RTI) which it claimed was becoming a trend in some Nagaland State Government departments.
A press statement issued by information and publicity cell, NPRAAF pinpointed the departments of Land Resource, Rural Development, Health & Family Welfare, Power and Education, which did not reply on time to the RTIs filed consecutively on November 4, 2016.
The Forum reminded that delay in furnishing RTI application is liable under Sec 20 (1) of RTI act of 2005, with a fine of Rs 250 each day until the information is furnished. The penalty has to be paid by the PIO’s from his/her salary and not by public authority and disciplinary action under Sec 20 (2) as per service rules. It pointed out that RTI applications should be treated with seriousness, as it is a fundamental right under the Constitution of India.
The Forum said it sought response from the RD department, fund utilisation on the sanction of Rs 5356.56 lakhs by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India Dated 06/04/2015, Vide No.J-11060/13/2015 MGNREGA- VI SL. 45 Dated 9th July to the Government of Nagaland as central assistance for implementation of the MGNREGA for financial year 2014-15.
Simultaneously, the Forum had asked from the Land Resource department the utilization of the sanctioned amount of Rs 27 crore by the Ministry of Rural Department, GoI to Nagaland Dated 3rd Sept, 2015 Vide order No. K-11013/06/2012-15/ DDP (IWMP) as first installment of fund for implementation of IWMP project under watershed component of Pradhen Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in Nagaland State for the year 2015-16.
In the RTI applications, the Forum informed that it sought information of certain non-Naga businessmen executing contract works/supplies in all the said departments-on the nature of their contract/supplies done in the departments with names and firms or any works executed and the amount sanctioned in lakhs against each concerned individual, firms or otherwise. Alleging corruption, the Forum said some of the “non-Naga businessmen were involved in corruption in complicity with department officials and politicians and thereby ground executions of the works were highly objectionable or virtually non-existent.”
The Forum therefore cautioned that it will not tolerate such acts of corruption and vowed to “streamline all unholy activities taking place for long in the departments at the expense of public treasury.” The names of the contractors will be divulged in due course of time if warrants, it added.
It further warned of writing to all respective Ministries at the centre with their findings along with corroborated evidences of nexus between the non-Naga contractors, officials and the politicians.
