Paper crunch hits printing of RTI stamps

Deccan Chronicle: Hyderabad: Wednesday, 10 September 2014.

RTI activists fumed that while both the presses are adequately equipped to print postal stampsat very short notice they are not ready to print RTI stamps.

The approved RTI postal stamps as per a CIC verdict could not be issued even after a year as both the security printing presses at Nasik and Hyderabad do not have the paper to print these RTI stamps.

On September 17, 2013 the Department of Posts announced that it will bring out an RTI stamp for sale costing Rs10 and will also set up special counters to accept applications in all post offices across the country. This would ease trouble for applicants as they won’t face difficulty in depositing RTI fees through postal orders. In response to an RTI application filed by actvist Subhash Aggarwal, the DoP revealed that the above verdict was accepted by the department.

RTI activists fumed that while both the presses are adequately equipped to print postal stamps at very short notice they are not ready to print RTI stamps.

“Explanation must be sought from officers at security printing presses for giving such irresponsible replies that too at a time when DoP has to unnecessarily spend too much on the high handling cost of Rs 37.45 of postal orders worth Rs 10 generally used for remitting RTI fees.

“The Finance Ministry should direct the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) to take immediate steps for the issue of the multi-coloured series of RTI stamps,” said Mr Aggarwal.

Saying that shortage of paper is the main cause, S.K. Tripathi, Director, PG & WS, India Post said, “A committee  has been set up by the Secretary (posts) for a thorough examination of the matter. All the stamps for DoP are printed by India Security Press at Nasik and Hyderabad. At present, both the presses are out of paper and the printing of stamps has been affected.” by this.

Hence the matter will be raised with the CMD of Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited and Finance Secretary who is the authority."

Activists said that special RTI stamps in different denominations on lines of revenue stamps should be introduced for users of RTI Act to save the huge handling cost of Rs 37.45. The Secretary (Posts) has also approved the use of definitive series of postage stamps which are available in post offices across the country in different denominations.