CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
Club Building (Near Post Office)
Old JNU Campus, New Delhi - 110067
Tel: +91-11-26161796
Decision No. CIC/SS/A/2009/000173/SG/8053
Appeal No. CIC/SS/A/2009/000173/SG
Relevant Facts
emerging from the Appeal
Appellant : Mr. Ranjana
C-584, New Seema Puri,
Delhi-110095.
Respondent : Mrs. Manju Varhney
Public Information Officer & District Social
Welfare Officer (North West)
Social Welfare Department
Gov. of NCT of Delhi
GLNS Complex,
Delhi Gate, New
Delhi-110006.
RTI application filed on : 19/05/2009
PIO replied : 09/06/2009
First appeal filed on : 19/06/2009
First Appellate Authority order : No order.
Second Appeal received on : 28/10/2009
Information Sought
i) Daily report regarding two applications filed by the applicant with the department.
ii) Names and posts of the officers who considered the said applications
iii) Dates on which the said applications were considered.
iv) Copies of the reports submitted by the said officers.
v) Reason for delay in the receipt of the financial aid, if any provided by the department.
vi) Copy of the letter sent to the Applicant by the department regarding any discrepancy, if any in
the applications sent by him.
vii) Copy of any letter sent to the Applicant by the department.
viii) Information regarding the applications submitted by TB patients with the department from
2006 to 15/05/2009 in the following format
(a) Serial No. (b) Name of the patient. (c) Address of the patient
(d) Age of the patient. (e) Date of submission of the application
(f) Date of inspection. (g) Date of issuance of cheque
Public Information Officer’s (PIO) reply:
The applicant had filed an application with the department for financial aid on 10/07/2006.
However the department has rejected the requested of financial aid. The required information
could not be provided due to lack of staff at the department. The applicant can contact the
department for seeking the required information.
Grounds for the First Appeal:
Unsatisfactory information provided by the PIO.
Order of the First Appellate Authority (FAA):
No order passed.
Grounds for the Second Appeal:
Unsatisfactory information provided by the PIO and no order passed by the FAA.
Relevant Facts emerging during Hearing:
The following were present:
Appellant : Mr. Rajiv on behalf of Ms. Ranjana;
Respondent: Mrs. Manju Varhney, PIO & District Social Welfare Officer (North West):
The PIO states that the records for which the information has been sought are not
available since they have been weeded out. The PIO states that as per a note made by then
Welfare Officer Mr. K. N. Mishra “the papers relating to old age, widow and handicapped
pensions are kept properly. The papers relating to other schemes are kept elsewhere. Once the
audit is over for 2007-08 the papers are kept elsewhere.”
This is an amazing statement. The Commission is distressed with the fact that the papers relating
to disbursements of money appear to be kept very haphazardly. Carelessness of this nature is a
sure breeding ground for arbitrariness and corruption. The Commission recommends to the
Secretary Social Welfare under it powers given under Section 25(5) to ensure that information
about people who apply for pensions and various entitlements is displayed on the website in
fulfillment of its obligation under Section-4 of the RTI Act. The Department should putup names
and addresses of the people who apply for pensions/entitlements giving the date of application
and mention how it was disposed and on which date. The Commission expects that this should
be done from June 2010 onwards. The Commission expects a compliance report of this by
30 July 2010.
Decision:
The Appeal is allowed.
The PIO directed to ensure that the information as directed above is
displayed on the website from June 2010 onwards. A compliance report will be
sent to the Commission before 30 July 2010.
This decision is announced in open chamber.
Notice of this decision be given free of cost to the parties.
Any information in compliance with this Order will be provided free of cost as per Section 7(6) of RTI Act.
Shailesh Gandhi
Information Commissioner
08 June 2010
(In any correspondence on this decision, mention the complete decision number.)(AG)
CC:
To,
Secretary
Social Welfare Department
Gov. of NCT of Delhi
GLNS Complex,
Delhi Gate, New Delhi-110006.