Daily Bhaskar: Ahmedabad:
Thursday, April 04, 2013.
The number of
applications received by Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) in 2011-12 rose
by almost 10% as compared with the previous year, reflecting a growing tendency
of the authorities to not disclose information.
The
commission said it received 5,224 applications in 2011-12 as against 4,761 in
2010-11, which is an increase of 9.72% year-on-year.
“Of the 5,224
applications, 3,803 were appeals and 1,421 were complaints. Commission disposed
off or passed orders in respect of 2,699 applications,” shows the commission’s
annual report for 2011-12. Financial penalties of Rs 2.44 lakh were imposed on
officers in 25 cases, while about 4,400 applications pertained to ten major
departments and public authorities.
“Revenue
department accounted for highest number of applications (1001) followed by 698
applications of urban development & urban housing, 622 of education, and
578 of panchayat, rural housing and rural development,” stated the report.
Labour & employment, social justice & empowerment, food, civil supplies
& consumer affairs departments accounted for less than 1% of the
applications.
The
commission said there is lack of proactive disclosure of information in case of
most of the public authorities. “In large numbers, public information officers
are not paying attention to information requests made by citizens. No specific
record of applications received and disposed is maintained in many offices,” it
said further.
According to
the report, there was a significant increase in number of applications received
in case of some departments. Applications pertaining to energy and petrochemical
department jumped 705% from 34 in 2010-11 to 274 in 2011-12.
The rise was
260% in case of road & building department, as number of applications went
up from 44 to 158. The rise was over 150% in case of ports and transport, water
resources & water supply, Narmada and Kalpasar departments.
The
commission also said that 54,570 applications seeking information under Right
to Information (RTI) Act were made with various government departments during
the year.
Urban
development & urban-housing department received 15,629 RTI applications,
30% of the total. Home (6,985 applications), energy & petrochemicals
(5,609), ports & transport (5,365) and agriculture & cooperation
(4,041) were the other departments that received maximum number of RTI
applications.
As per to the
commission, overall rate of rejection of applications was only 2.56%. Revenue
(17.37%), agriculture & cooperation (10.86%), finance (5.14%), general
administration (4.44%) and industries & mines (4.35%) departments accounted
for highest rejections.
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