Proactively disclose price lists: CIC to mining companies

Tanu Sharma Indian Express: Fri Nov 12 2010:

New Delhi : The Central Information Commission has advised government-owned mining companies to be “proactive” in disclosing its information like price lists of various minerals it deals in, by putting it up on their websites rather than forcing people to use the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Dealing with a plea by Indian Rare Earths Limited, a public sector mining company, the Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra on Tuesday said, “It is desirable that PSUs like Indian Rare Earths Limited should themselves proactively publish the price lists fixed by them from time to time in its website for everybody to know, without resorting to the RTI Act.”

“Along with the published price lists, the company should also publish the rates at which it sold the minerals after the trading cycle is over,” he recommended.

The suggestion came on an appeal filed by the Federation of Indian Placer Mineral Industries, who had sought price lists of various minerals for several years, copies of documents such as invoices, Bill of Lading and form ‘H’.

Federation president D Dhaya Devadas had also requested for copies of documents relating to fixation of prices by the Board of Directors and notes in respect of the pricing mechanism followed by the company.