The
New Indian Express: New Delhi: Monday, 20 October 2014.
The Finance
Ministry is yet to accept two of the three reports submitted to it on the
assessment of black money in India and abroad which were commissioned by the
UPA government three years ago.
The studies
were conducted by the Delhi-based National Institute of Public Finance and
Policy (NIPFP) and National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), and
National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM) at Faridabad.
"Report
from one institute has been received and accepted and reports from the
remaining two institutes have been received but yet to be accepted by the
government so far," the Finance Ministry said in reply to an RTI
query.
It, however,
declined to share the contents of the reports citing the exemption clause under
the transparency law.
"Further
details cannot be made available at this point of time as the information is
exempt under Section 8(1)(c) and Section 8(1)(e) of RTI Act, 2005, since the
report is yet to be examined by the government or action taken thereof is yet
to be laid before Parliament," the ministry said.
Section 8(1
)(e) bars disclosure of information which would cause a breach of privilege of
Parliament. The other clause exempts disclosure of "information available
to a person in his fiduciary relationship, unless the competent authority is
satisfied that the larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such
information".
The three
studies were expected to be completed within 18 months' time, which deadline
had expired on September 21, 2012. The Finance Ministry did not give the dates
on which these reports were submitted with it although the RTI application had
also sought that information.
There is at
present no official assessment on the quantum of black money in India and
abroad.
.JPG)
.JPG)
