Fund allotted for RTI campaign not utilised properly in Odisha

Misuse, Misappropriation and mindless expenditure of fund allotted for sensitisation of the people about RTI by Govt. of Odisha spoils RTI in the state.

Dear friends

Few days back, Nabin Patnaik, Chief Minister, Odisha has   gave a call in Collectors’ conference to maintain utmost “Transparency” in Govt. work and administrative activities.  But he had not spoken a single word on “RTI”, a law  meant for enforcing transparency  and accountability  in administration.  It may be he is ignorant  about  this law or he with ill-intention  might be bypassing it apprehending  that enforcement of  RTI  in letter  and spirit  which  he has destroyed  in Odisha  will open up  flood-gate of corruption  and misappropriation of public fund  in the state.

As  per section 26 of the RTI Act,  the State Government shall organise  educational programme  to sensitise the people  about RTI Act,  promote  timely and effective  dissemination  of accurate information  by public authorities  about their activities,   provide training to the PIOs and produce relevant materials for use by the Public authorities.   The State Govt.  in Information and Public Relation Department , nodal Dept. for RTI  has been releasing fund every year to   DIPROs ( District Information and Public Relation Officers)  of all Districts to organise public sensitisation programme, seminar and workshops on RTI.  But these fund are neither properly utilised nor are public involved  in awareness programme.  In many districts, workshops or seminars are organised within participation of Govt. officials without involving the common people, RTI Activists ad local volunteers. High- profile lunch is organised for officers and staff without holding much debate on RTI in the seminars.

RTI application was submitted to the PIO, Dept. of I and PR, seeking information about details of fund sanctioned, utilised  for RTI awareness programme  in different districts and UC submitted  by them.   It  was found from the information  supplied by the PIO  dated 27.5.17 that  most of DIPROs  have not submitted UC since last three years.  The Dept.  is also not aware  whether fund has been utilised  or not. As per field report made by RTI Activists, fund sanctioned for RTI awareness programme is misused and misappropriated in large scale without   delivering any fruitful results. In many districts, funds remain unutilised and surrendered later on.

 The details of   information supplied by the PIO  is as follows.

Amount/UC of funds  distributed to different DIPROs  for RTI awareness programme  in 30 districts
Sl.No	DIPROs	Fund allotted  2014-15	UC  thereon	Fund allotted  2015-16	UC thereon	Fund allotted  2016-17	UC thereon
1	Angul	80,000.00	Furnished	80,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished
2	Balasore	80,000.00	DO	80,000.00	Do	40,000.00	Not furnished
3	Bolangir	80,000.00	DO	80,000.00	Not furnished	----	---
4	Baragarh	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not furnished	---	---
5	Bhadrak	60,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished
6	Bhubaneswar	40,000.00	Not furnished	40,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished
7	Boudh	40,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished
8	Cuttack	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Furnished
9	Dhenkanal	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not furnished	----	---
10	Deogarh	40,000.00	Not furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished	---	---
11	Gajapati	60,000.00	Surrendered	40,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished
12	Ganjam	1,20,000.00	Not furnished	1,20,000.00	Not furnished	---	---
13	Jagatsingh Pur	80,000.00	Surrendered	80,000.00	Not Furnished	---	---
14	Jajpur	60,000.00	Not furnished	40,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Furnished
15	Jharsuguda	40,000.00	Not furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished
16	Kalahandi	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not Furnished	--	---
17	Kandhamal	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not furnished
18	Kendrapara	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Furnished
19	Keonjhar	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not furnished
20	Khurda	40,000.00	Not furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished
21	Koraput	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not furnished
22	Malkangiri	60,000.00	Not Furnished	40,000.00	Not Furnished
23	Mayurbhanj	1,20,000.00	Not Furnished	1,20,000.00	Not Furnished
24	Nabarang Pur	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not furnished
25	Nayagarh	80,000.00	Not Furnished	80,000.00	Not Furnished
26	Nuapara	60,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Furnished
27	Puri	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not Furnished
28	Rayagada	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not furnished
29	Rourkela	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Not furnished
30	Sambalpur	80,000.00	Furnished	80,000.00	Furnished
31	Subarnapur	60,000.00	Not furnished	40,000.00	Not furnished
32	Sundargarh	80,000.00	Not furnished	80,000.00	Furnished	40,000.00	Not Furnished
33	D.D( Northern)	NIL	---	40,000.00	Not furnished
34	D.D. ( Central)	Nil	Nil	40,000.00	Furnished
35	D.D.(Southern)	NIL	NIL	40,000.00	40,000.00	Not furnished

2. Similarly, Govt. of India  had released  fund   for celebration of  RTI weeks  from 5^th to 12^th  October-2016. Accordingly, each district  was allotted Rs. 10,000.00  for  celebration.  But  no district  has yet submitted UC to  Govt. The Nodal Dept. is not aware whether the programme was organised or fund misappropriated.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date-24.6.17