Whispers Forum

The Appellant sought information about Audit of funds of the PHC. On second appeal before CIC, the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) claimed that information sought by the Appellant is not held by them whereas expenditure related details with respect to the projects are held by the concerned State Government. The Andhra Pradesh Information Commission had communicated to the Appellant that his Second Appeal should be addressed to the CIC as NRHM falls under the jurisdiction of Central Government. The CIC observed that Health falls in the concurrent list of the Constitution. In view of the lack of clarity about the actual custodian of information, the CIC directed the NRHM to explain why no information is held by them and who is the actual custodian of information in this case. Further, the CIC directed to transfer the RTI Application if not done already, with a copy marked to the Appellant.
Comments
This case highlights the confusion about the holder of information regarding an important scheme such as NRHM. The second appeal could have been avoided had the respective PIOs acted diligently as per the provisions of the RTI Act and provided the information available at their ends.
Citation: Shri G. Venkataramana v. PIO, Dist. Audit Officer, State Audit, PIO, Dist. Audit Officer, State Audit, and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in Second Appeal No. CIC/DIROA/A/2017/175616/MH&FW, Date of Decision: 18.03.2021

Comparing posts of CS/ACS with DG/ADG posts and drawing parallel between them is doing an unfair and incorrect comparison for IPS officers. You may only compare them with DGs/Spl DGs. Though that will also be akin to comparing oranges with apples, as most of the DGs/Spl DGs rank officers are only in level 16 of pay matrix, whereas, all CS/ACS rank officers are in level 17 of pay matrix. ADGs are equivalent to Principal Secy rank officers, both in pay and status. Hope you bring this out on your page, at least, to set the record straight. Thanks
Suresh Dahiya
Good decision of govt.
Very good decision by govt for extension to Braham Deo Ram. He is very energetic administrative officer.
Devendra Pratap

(DEBATE 1)
Yes police and politicians are on the same side of coin. They help each other to remain in power.
D K Singh
Deliberately weakened
The answer to the question raised by Sumti Sharma as to why no action is being taken for poor decisions is that RTI ACT which was a powerful tool in the hands of public as well as wronged civil servants has been deliberately weakened. What to talk of RTI even the Central Administrative tribunals have become so weak-kneed that the department or the ministry against whom the employee goes to have justice for any wrong done to him/her in sheer violation of rules appear to be helpless.The concerned department does not even reply to the petition of the civil servant forcing Tribunal to go on giving dates.Why cannot ex-partie decision is given against that Department.Rules and Procedures are no longer binding on the decision makers.It is all personal likes and dislikes,whims or do what the boss desires.Tell me who will take action for poor or bad decisions when everyone has mortagaged his soul and dishonesty and cowardice is ruling the roost.
Aarti Khosla

DEBATE(1)
In certain states Cops are money spinners for political parties. Both reap the fruits.
Anjani Kumar
Action oriented PM did not reply
The IAS officers are derisively referred to as babus first by papparazis then now by the PM who had his election certified by one such babu. The latter had many of them in Gujarat and now in Delhi. The 2019 elections were conducted by these babus which the world admired.
I had written to the PM to send the IAS officers on selection to the IMA and OTA for a full commissioning course and then 3 months at the borders. They should then undergo their academy course for 9 months before they go to their respective cadres with the rank of major. Then every two years they should serve with the forces for one month till they become joint secretary level officers. The action oriented PM did not reply. So much for his interest in reforming the mind set of IAS officers
With a full course in the Military academies the character and conduct of these officers will change radically and with their earned military ranks they will cease to be babus.
Sivaraman, former Secretary (GoI)

DEBATE (1)
Please refresh your memory when top brass of CBI fought in public by levelling charges of corruption against each other. The outcome was on expected lines. We have forgotten. This case will also meet the same fate. protocols for meeting senior officers are for public only. The officers decline meeting in their office to public very often. Here in this case, where was the protocol by the commissioner? Public knows the truth but is helpless. There are buyers in the system and there are plenty who are more than ready to be on sale. Has anybody bothered to implement Parkash Singh Committee report on police reforms ? Our important institutions are suffering from trust deficit of public. God help this nation.
Raj Kumar Thakur
Submission to CBDT
CBDT is responsible for administration of direct tax laws through the IT Department. It also supervises of the entire Income Tax Department. CBDT has to simplify the ITRs filings so the whole process is easy, seamless and painless. The following points are worth considering: 1. First and foremost important thing is to make ITR filing online directly from e-filing portal without generating XML and uploading the forms. At least ITR 1,2,3 and 4 forms can be directly submitted in e-filing portal after filling necessary details like ITR 1 at present. This will resolve the compatibility issues and operating software problems and will be easy, seamless and also painless. This may start from next FY. 2. The old cases more than 3 years where no tax liabilities have been fixed and are free from any disputes can be closed. There is no point of carrying old legacy of issuing notices with the sentence we have reasons to believe..... The officers can be deployed more productive work to check the leakage of tax revenue. The arrears can be cleared like Banks where banks start writing-off NPA after three years to cleanup their balance sheets. Something to be learned from banks working. Even in budget also the time period has been reduced to three years from six years to open up the old cases. 3. As per media reports, there is 60%-70% of contract value is thru cash transactions which is not reflected in Govt. financial systems and are able to escape taxes. this is generally in professional services or in trades. There are no tools to check the real income of professionals or traders due to large cash transactions. CBDT has to device some methodology to plug the loss of tax revenue in such cases. 4. Sometimes notices have been issued to housewives about non-filing of returns due to some inputs. This should be avoided as no point of asking the details of STREEDHAN which is her personal funds for emergency uses and might have invested to earn some income. 5. The manpower in IT department should be used efficiently and effectively to increase tax revenue and reduces the leakage of tax revenue. More innovative work has to come from CBDT to make tax system tax payers friendly. Still there is a some fear in the mind of public about filing of ITRs but still filing has increased remarkably due to simplification and ease.
Naveen

Emergency
Wife and younger son tested positive and now 93 year old ex Fauji Father tested positive. Wife and son got it from PGI and now on way to recovery. I'm locked up in older son's room who was admitted to PGI but as of now with God's Grace he has not tested positive. He is handicapped and needs assistance for even loo.
I want to admit Dad in Fortis or Max, Mohali. He has ECHS Card.
Tried petitioning Modi but no response. I backed him when no one believed him and Congress hounded him and UPA was in power. My columns are a proof.
Never asked him. for a favour and never took a paisa for my columns.
Vikram Singh
“Aaj Ki Awaz” writer on this platform
DEBATE (1)
Controlling corruption in Public Offices- The level of corruption was very high in Singapore during 1973 and was one of the most corrupt country in World.Singapore delt corruption with very high degree of punishment.Due to this ,in 2004,Singapore became 4th honest country in World.Same approach can be applied in Mumbai Police as well as in all public office in country.
RK Upadhyay

Debate (1)
Political patronage of corrupt police,has deep impact on Good governance due to lack of accountability and misuse of discretionary powers . The recent exposé by ex- CP Mumbai is an eye opener. He has alleged extortion on part of a junior police officer ostensibly at the behest of Maharashtra’s home minister. A classic example of political misadventures in cahoot with the local Police.
Ironically, despite complainant’s clouded antecedents, he has charged Maha’s home minister of extortion. But, the top cop cannot absolve himself by implicating others especially when he himself has been a part of the flawed system. There is nothing heroic in his switching loyalty to the ruling party at the centre. This merely confirms his pliability, devoid of clean conscience. The public is intelligent, alert and enlightened but it is scared of raising its voice. Let unethical politicians and dishonest Police, not take the public for granted. The Media is irresponsible, toeing the line of media barons. The system is flawed.
The whole body of our country suffers from the malaise. No transparency, no accountability. RTI Act collapsing under its own weight. Political parties are reluctant to come under its purview particularly with regard to their sources of funding. The police especially at the lower echelons, is utterly corrupt. Majority of cops at higher echelons too are not holy cows. They merely pretend to be honest.
One can’t miss beat constables taking haftas from encroachers, vendors of the unorganized sectors. Acting as conduits, they rationalize their misconduct by the cryptic, evasive remark : ‘ Paisa oopar tak jataa hai ‘.
Anti corruption vigilance arm of the police is the most corrupt. Public has lost faith in anti-graft agencies. Paradoxically corruption acts as balancing market mechanism in a vastly unregulated administrative paradigm.
UPSC conducts exams for selecting candidates suitable for Civil Services. The IPS officers are expected to resist political patronage. But, they do the obverse. The specialised anti-corruption agencies are considered relatively independent of the police or the ruling government. But, ground realities are different.
Consider specifics. What about about the N N Vohra committee report set submitted on Oct 5,1993 had Secy (Revenue),D IB,CBI, Secy RAW, Special Secy (Internal security& Police)as members. It passed through the eyes of successive Prime Ministers, Home Ministers and Home Secretaries over the past three decades. It studied problems of criminalisation of politics and the nexus among criminals, politicians and bureaucrats in India. Secret details annexed to the main report contain names of politicians, bureaucrats, police officers, who had close nexus with the under-world mafia including Congress’s Dawood, Mirchi links.
Where is the report hibernating ? Deep freeze of the underworld or destroyed ? Whom have the successive governments been protecting for so many decades?
Against this backdrop, what were the compulsions on BJP for conferring Padma Vibhushan on the NCP leader? Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, now a NCP partner, had then called it “Guru-dakshina”( Business Standard dt Jan 26,2017).
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

It is really surprising that Uttarakhand CM announces that there will be NO CHECK on individuals for Covid-19 when they come to Haridwar next month for Kumbhmela !!
The country is seeing a steep increase in the number of covid cases all over, and PM has advised States to take steps to contain it, yet Uttarakhand CM is flouting the rules for Kumbhmela.
SC should take suo motto action and direct Uttarakhand and Central Government to screen all visitors to Haridwar for Kumbhmela and restrict the numbers for each day to prevent spread of Covid-19.
S. Gopal