Niti Aayog directed by CIC to furnish expert panel report

Assam Tribune: Guwahatti: Thursday, 09 April 2015.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Niti Aayog, formerly Planning Commission of India, to furnish a copy of the report of the Technical Expert Committee comprising Dr CD Thatte and Dr MS Reddy, engaged by it to study the 2000-MW Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Power Project, to RTI activist Rohit Choudhury. The CIC has not accepted the plea of the Niti Aayog that release of the report would fuel more agitation.

The Niti Aayog had refused to supply a copy of the report to Choudhury on the plea that the report was ‘under consideration and could not be provided at this stage’.

Choudhury moved the First Appellate Authority (FAA) challenging the decision of the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the Niti Aayog. But the FAA also stated – “under Section 8 proviso (g) of the Act”, the report sought by the appellant could not be provided as it was yet to be finalised and accepted by the government.

Not satisfied with this order of the FAA, Choudhury moved the CIC praying for direction to the CPIO to provide the required complete information free of cost and action against the CPIO and the FAA under Section 20(1) and (2) of the RTI Act for ‘malafidely denying the information.’

The CIC, in its order on March 25, 2015, stated – “… there is no ground to deny the report sought by the appellant in his RTI applications dated 5.11.2012 and 5.1.2013. Accordingly, the CPIO is directed to provide the appellant a copy of the final report submitted to the Planning Commission (NITI Aayog), Government of India by CD Thatte and MS Reddy on the 2000-MW Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project. The above information should be provided free of cost, within twenty days of the receipt of this order, under intimation to the Commission.”

However, the CIC did not impose any penalty on the CPIO and the FAA as sought for by Choudhury.