Times
of India: Bhubaneswar: Sunday, 27 December 2015.
The Odisha
Knowledge Corporation Limited (OKCL), whose chairman is the state's chief
secretary, is not a government company, information obtained using RTI Act has
revealed.
The state
government has notified OKCL as a company in the Orissa Gazette, which makes it
look like a government body. Its advertisements from time to time claim that it
is promoted by the department of higher education.
"Maharashtra-based
Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL) holds 50% stake in the
company, while the state government holds the remaining 50%represented by six
officers in the higher education department," the RTI information said.
This is contrary
to the government''s original resolution of share holding pattern in the
company. According to the government''s notification (July 2011), the state was
proposed to have a share of 30%, MKCL 30%, universities in the state 10% and
private institutions the rest 30%.
The OKCL is
not affiliated to any university, though its course Odisha State-Certificate in
Information Technology (OS-CIT) is an essential qualification for entry into
group A, B, C categories of services in the state government, semi-government
and state public sector undertakings since April 1, 2012. The employees have to
complete the course spending from their own pockets (at the rate of Rs 3,000).
The Odisha
Madhyamika Siksha Mission (OMSM), state's nodal agency to implement the Centre-sponsored
Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA) has released Rs 177 crore to the OKCL
in 2013-2015 for implementation of information communication technology (ICT)
in schools. Such programmes were earlier implemented by the State Institute of
Educational Technology (SIET).
Pradip
Pradhan, RTI campaigner who obtained the information, questioned how the state
government issued notification for a non-government company in the Orissa
Gazette. There is strong reason to believe the company was floated to divert
central funds through it by the top government officers, he said.
OKCL managing
director Santosh Birari said the public limited company had done no wrong,
financial or otherwise. The share holding pattern is proposed to change
gradually by involving the state universities and private educational
institutions soon, he said.
Chief
secretary Aditya Padhi could not be contacted for comment.
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