Times of India: Gandhinagar:
Saturday, April 01, 2017.
The Gujarat
Information Commissioner received 8,449 appeals and complaints in the year
2015-16. The commission reported that of the 8,449 application received 7,525
appeals that were disposed of and a penalty was imposed in 68 cases.
The commission reported that of the 7,371
appeals that were disposed of, penalty was imposed in 66 cases.As for the 154
complaints, penalty was imposed only in 2 cases. In the total 68 cases where
officers were fined, the GIC had recovered Rs 5.95 lakh as penalty.
The commission reported that there was a
marginal increase in the number of appeals and complaints received as compared
to 2014-15 when the commission had received 8361 appeals and complaints.
The report further states that the Revenue
Department, along with Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, were the
two departments against whom the highest number of appeals and complaints were
filed. Around 27.29% of the appeals and complaints were filed against these two
departments.
During the year 2015-16, the public
authorities working under various department received 1.52 lakh applications.
Of these, only 5,599 were received directly by the department concerned.
Similarly, of the total 1.52 lakh application, around 48% were received directly
by the Revenue Department and Urban Development and Urban Housing Department.
The commission reported that of the 7,371
appeals that were disposed of, penalty was imposed in 66 cases.As for the 154
complaints, penalty was imposed only in 2 cases. In the total 68 cases where
officers were fined, the GIC had recovered Rs 5.95 lakh as penalty.
The GIC has noted in its report that the
commission had directed the state government to ensure strict and effective
implementation of proactive disclosure by every public authority.
The commission had also directed that the
Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration should carry out the training
of officials handling RTI applications. The commission has also recommended
that all the first appellate authorities of the state perform their duties and
responsibilities under the RTI act with utmost care and seriousness.
.JPG)
.JPG)
