ACAUT Nagaland files RTI in various departments

Nagaland Post: Kohima: Wednesday, April 16, 2014.

To check taxations and corruption in the state, Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland filed RTI as part of anti-corruption activities in the department of personnel and administration reforms (P&AR), rural development (RD) and vigilance and personnel ‘B’ Branch Tuesday at the Civil Secretariat Kohima.  The ACAUT team was accompanied by ACAUT legal cell convener and advocate Kezhokhoto Savi. Much to the disappointment of the team members, on entering RD office at 11 a.m. the team could not find working staffs except lower grade employees. On being inquired as to whether the PIO has reached office, the official informed ACAUT members that after transferring of the previous official, there was no PIO designate.

The convener informed the employee present at the office that the absence of PIO in a commissioner office was very unfortunate and advised the employee to accept RTI application. Accordingly RTI was also filed in P & AR department and Personel ‘B’ Branch.

Briefing media persons, ACAUT RTI convener Dr. Khekugha Muru said organization did not have ill intention against any individual or department.  

However, he said if any discrepancies found in any department ACAUT would file RTI and would continue to raise its voice against corruption.

Dr.Muru claimed that about 728 posts appointed through backdoor during the last five years, the same issue was also raised by NSF, he added.

Convener Savi ‘we lost our hope with the government and so we want power- the information’, and maintained ACAUT was one group that cannot be bought.

ACAUT publicity and information secretary Mar Longkumer said the initiative was a small step but a giant leap for Nagas towards curbing corruption.

In RD department, ACAUT filed RTI application seeking to know the total sanctioned amount for the last five years in district wise, the actual total amount disbursed to the district during last five years and that total number of working days payment of ages in the last five years.

In P & AR department, ACAUT sought to know the total number of government employees in the state, total number of appointments made under Class I, II (gazetted), II (non-gazetted), III and IV posts in the last five years and their break-us, number of appointments made in the last five years through NPSC exams, number of direct departmental recruitments made in the last five years for Class I and II (both gazette and non-gazetted) posts and number of direct departmental recruitments made in the last five years for grade III and IV posts.