Kashmir
Times: Delhi: Saturday, June 01, 2019.
Some
organisation named Institute-Of-Public-Administration IPA has sent a letter
dated 27.04.2019 to all public-authorities coming under purview of RTI Act,
2005 regarding holding 49th paid two-day workshop on 11-12.06.2019 at Bengaluru
charging rupees 14986 for local participant and rupees 32922 for
outside-participant with spouse. Drafting of letter dated 27.04.2019 looks like
that of some government-authorised body like
Indian-Institute-Of-Public-Administration IIPA.
It
is observed that many public-authorities confusing the letter as if sent from a
government-authorised have been sending participants to attend RTI-workshop at
cost of public-exchequer. Department of Personnel and training DoPT, Central
Information Commission CIC and Indian Institute of Public administration IIPA
should immediately take cognizance of the matter, and clarify if Institute of
Public Administration IPA (Bengaluru) has taken approval of DoPT or CIC for
conducting such RTI workshops for public-authorities with participants
attending at cost of public-exchequers. Usually decision-takers at
public-authorities immediately consent for participation in such RTI workshops
conducted by private bodies because they find at a luxurious opportunity of
holidaying at Bengaluru at cost of public-exchequers.
In
case DoPT and CIC have not approved holding such workshop by a private body,
immediate steps should be taken to get money of public-authorities refunded
with probe initiated on holding 48 such RTI workshops earlier by Institute of
Public administration.