Thursday, December 26, 2019

Office of Chief Minister, Odisha – Far From Transparency & 5T and full of lies


Office of Chief Minister, Odisha – Far From Transparency & 5T and full  of lies
(Exposed under RTI)

Chief Minister office never  discloses
·         Monthly Report  of Ministers ,
·         Documents  about  dismissal of officers 
·         Suo moto  disclosure  of  information under  section 4 (1) (b)  of the RTI Act.

Where  is 5T  and  TRANSPARENCY ?
We  demand  that  all  Monthly Performance Reports  of Ministers  and details of  dismissal  of officers  must  be  web-hosted  and put  in public domain  for  knowledge  of the  people  of the State. Why  it  will be kept  secret.

Dear  friends

The Day Chief Minister spoke  about 5T  in Media  Conference, we  had  said  it  another  big hoax of  this  Govt. 5T  is  a  media buzz word, media managed Propaganda  with  full  of  malicious deception. We have pointed  out  several times  in public platform  that  it   is another design to deceive  the people of Odisha .

1.    Firstly, To explore  what  is 5T, RTI Application dt. 8.11.19  was filed  to   the  Department of General Administration and Public Grievances , Govt. of Odisha  seeking  information about Photocopy of Decisions taken with file noting about opening Department of 5T and appointment of Sri V.K.Pandian as Secretary of 5T along with order of Chief Minister, copy  of cabinet approval for opening  of new Dept. , 5T.. The PIO  provided two copies of notesheet  and notification about 5T. In NOTE SHEET, it is mentioned that “ Shri V.K.Pandia , IAS , Private Secretary  to Chief Minister  will also be Secretary to  Chief Minister  5Ts  Transformation Initiatives”.     In the NOTIFICATION dt. 28th  August , 2019 No. GAD –SER1-IAS-0035-2015-24157/AIS.1. Shri V. Karthikeya Pandian, IAS ( RR-2000)  at present Private Secretary to Chief Minister , Odisha  is allowed to remain  in additional charge  of Secretary  to Chief Minister-Transformation Initiatives ( 5T) in addition to  his own duties.  So, 5T  is   neither  a Department  nor any cabinet  decision taken  in this  regard. It  is an initiative. It is just media hyped  propaganda  to divert attention of the  people from real issues  affecting  them. The people must  reject it.

2.    Secondly,  in the  month of June, 2019, Chief Minister, Odisha  declared  that he would  monitor performance of Ministers  and asked  each Minister  to produce  their  Monthly progress  Report. RTI Application was  filed  to  the office of Chief Minister, Odisha , Dept. of Parliamentary Affairs, Govt. of  Odisha  seeking  copy  of  Monthly Performance Report   submitted  to Chief Minister. On 7.8.19.,  the PIO, office  of  Chief Minister vide letter No. 2514/CM dt. 7.8.2019   intimated that “No such Report  as required  is available in the office  of Chief Minister.”   However,  to  examine whether  the Ministers have submitted  their  Monthly performance  report to Chief Minister,  RTI Application was submitted  to the office of 8 Ministers  seeking  copy  of the  forwarding letter  of Minister in which  they  have submitted   their monthly report  to the Chief Minister.  The Response of the office  of  Minsiters  is as follows.  ( the office of   All  the  Ministers  except Ranendra Pratap Swain , Minister for  Food supply & CW  responded  one  and similar  kind of  information, as  if  they  have all  responded  after  taking each other.

A.      On 14.11.19., The  office of the Minister for Women and Child Development, Govt. of Odisha  responded that “  the  information as in the manner  requested by you  in your application  is  not  available”.
B.      On 13.11.19., The office of the Minister for  Panchayat Raj & Drinking Water , Law, Housing & Urban Development    said that   the  information as  in the manner requested  by  you in your application  is not available  in this office”.
C.      On 25.10.19., The  office of  the Minister for Forest & Environment, Parliamentary Affairs, Odisha  asked  to  deposit Rs. 46.00  towards  cost  of  information. When the    cost of information through M.O. was deposited ,  it was returned  back. Later on, on 15.11.19., the PIO wrote  a letter  stating  that  the previous letter  was issued inadvertently.   He responded in same way that “information, as in the manner requested by you in your above application, is not available in this office
D.      On 13.11.19.,  the  office of the Minister for Finance & Excis, Odisha  responded  in similar manner that    the information as in the manner  requested  by you in your application, is not  available  in this office”.
E.       On 17.10.19.,  the office of Minister of State  ( Independent Charge) Electronics & Information Technology , Sports & Youth Services, Odisha  transferred  RTI Application  to  the  Dept. of Sports & Youth Services  and Dept. of Electronics & Information Technology  to provide  information.  Though two months passed, the PIOs of these Departments  have not  supplied any kind of information.
F.       But  the  response  of  Sri Ranendra Pratap Swain, Minister  for Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare, Cooperation, Odisha  is  more  interesting and praise worthy. On 13.11.19.,  his  office has   sent   copies  of  5 forwarding letters  addressed  to Chief Minister  in which  he  has  sent   his Monthly Performance Report.   One of   letter of the Minister  addressed  to Chief Minister  is presented  herewith  for better  understanding.

“ With reference  to  the UOI No. 74/CM dated 4.6.2019, I am to submit herewith  the one page report  each on the work done during the last month with special focus  on the Manifesto  to priorities  in respect of Food supplies  and Consumer Welfare Department  as well as Cooperation.”

 On 6.9.19, Content of the letter of the Minister is as follows.
“ I am submitting herewith the  progress  of implementation of 5T  and progress  report  for the month of August, 2019 on the priority areas  of Government in respect of  Food supplies & Consumer Welfare Department  and Cooperation Department  and tours  and inspection  conducted  during  the said month  for kind information”.

It  is  concluded that  either  the Ministers   have  produced  the report  and  kept in confidence or report  has  never  been  produced  to  Chief Minister.

3. Thirdly, just after 3 months  of assuming office  of Chief Minister  for 5th term, Nabin Patnaik addressed press conference  reading  papers  about  dismissal  of  officers  and employees  and withholding pension of retired officers  on corruption charges. Both Print and electronic Media made  a front-paper  news   with applause  terming it  as “ Operation Clean”.

  Having  gone through  the news , RTI Application dated 3.9.19.  was  submitted  to the Office  of  Chief Minister, Odisha, Dept. of GA& PG seeking  information about  copy  of  papers  which  Chief Minister  read out  in  Press Conference  and  copy  of all documents  on the basis which  he dismissed  the  officers. On 5.11.19., the  PIO, office  of  Chief Minister responded  that “  No  such  information is  available  in the  Chief Minister’s Office”.   

On 3.9.19, RTI Application was  filed  to Dept. of GA & PG seeking  the same  information about  details of decision taken  for dismissal  of officers and employees . on 6.9.19.,  The GA Department  transferred RTI Application  to the PIO, Dept. of Parliamentary Affairs, office  of Chief Minister  and  Director, Vigilance  to provide  information.  On 16.9.19, the  office  of State  Vigilance  responded  that  they are  exempted from disclosure  under RTI Act  as per  Govt. notification No. 8081-RTI-74/2016-IPR dated 11.8.2016. On 1.10.19, the PIO, Dept. of Parliamentary Affairs  transferred RTI Application to the PIO, office of Chief Minister, Odisha  to provide  information, as  it  closely relates  to your office. Despite  two RTI Applications being  forwarded to Chief Minister’s office,  the said  office  did  not  care  to respond  under RTI Act, even two months passed. 

It is  astonishing  that When  the  Chief Minister  Speaks  of transparency  and addressed  press meet about  plan and programme of his Govt, but  his  office  does  not  disclose  any  information under RTI Act,  the sun-shining law enacted  to enforce  transparency  in the administration.

4.The website  of  Chief Minister, Odisha   (https://cm.odisha.gov.in/) does not  have  any information disclosed  under section 4(1)(b)  of the RTI Act which is mandatory  for  all  public authorities. As  a  Public Authority , it  must  declare  names of PIO  and First Appellate  Authority  in  their  website  and other related  information in Odia.  The Dept. of I and PR, nodal Dept. for RTI  has   made  several circulars  to all  Dept. and offices  to  comply  section 4 ( 1) (b)  of RTI Act  in Odia  language. But  the CM office  has done  nothing .

Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482
Date- 26.12.19  






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