GreaterKashmir:
Srinagar: Friday, 30 January 2015.
Taking
serious note of the failure of various departments to voluntarily disclose
information under the Right to Information Act, the Government led by Governor
NN Vohra on Thursday directed the administrative secretaries to implement
provisions of the Act in “letter and spirit” to ensure transparency and
accountability.
“It has been
observed that the provisions of Section 4 of the J&K Right to Information
Act, 2009, are not being followed strictly and despite repeated instructions,
many departments have not hosted the requisite information, as required under
the Act. The other measures for introducing transparency like electronic mode
of payments also need further impetus and attention,” MA Bukhari, Secretary to the
Government, General Administration Department (GAD), states in his order.
The order has
been issued a day after the Governor NN Vohra directed the government officials
to file their Annual Property Returns (APRs) by January 31 and all the
administrative secretaries to review the progress of all pending corruption
cases against officials on weekly basis. Since the imposition of the Governor’s
rule in the state on January 8, Vohra has issued standing directions to ensure
good governance by “curbing the menace of corruption in public service
delivery.”
The GAD order
states that the Right to Information Act was enacted in the State with a view
to securing access to the information under the control of Public Authorities,
in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every
Public Authority.
“Attention of
all the Administrative Secretaries is invited towards various circulars issued
on the subject, from time to time. The need for voluntary disclosure of
information by the Public Authorities has also been highlighted in various
meetings taken by the Chief Secretary including the Committee of Secretaries
(CoS),’’ it states.
The order
states that it has time and again been impressed upon all the departments to
ensure that their official websites are constructed and all relevant data
including email address of administrative secretaries, as required under the
provisions of Right to Information Act, 2009, is hosted on it.
“The
introduction of e-tendering and e-payments is also a step towards infusing more
transparency in the system and requires to be promoted further. The Works
Departments have already issued instructions for resorting to e-tender in
respect of works above a specified limit and issued instructions and guidelines
accordingly. Other departments also need to examine the matter and issue
necessary orders as per the felt needs,’’ it states.
The GAD
directed all the Administrative Secretaries to ensure that the provisions of
Section 4 of the Right to Information Act, 2009 are implemented in letter and
spirit.
“The
Administrative Secretaries shall ensure to that the relevant information, as
required, is available on the official websites of the departments. Besides
they shall devise a mechanism for periodic review/ update of the official
websites,” the order states.
It states
that the arrangement may be reviewed in respect of subordinate offices/
departments also and action taken furnished accordingly.
“The
Administrative Secretaries shall promote transparency by encouraging
e-tendering, e-procurement and making payments electronically or through
cheques,” it further states.
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