CSR Fund earmarked and utilized by NALCO in Odisha

CSR Fund earmarked and utilized by NALCO in Odisha

( Bulletin-2)

Dear friends

RTI Application  dated 26.12.15 was submitted to NALCO, Corporate Office, Bhubaneswar seeking information about details of fund earmarked  under CSR ( Corporate Social Responsibility) from 2009-10 to 2015-16 , funds given to different organizations for advertisement, details of fund spent  by NALCO for press meet etc.  The information provided  by the PIO & ED-Company Secretary  on 3.3.16 is as follows.

1.      Total fund earmarked  for periphery development projects  at Koraput under CSR activities  by NALCO from 2009-10 to 2015-16 is Rs. 1839.25 lakhs

2.      Different Organisations/ Institutions received CSR fund from NALCO  is as follows.

Name of Institution	Year of fund given under CSR	Purpose	Remarks
Collector, Koraput	2009-10	Peripheral development	Contribution amount  Rs. 318.15 lakhs
Collector, Koraput	2010-11 and 2011-12	Peripheral development	Contribution amount Rs.446.04 lakhs
Collector, Koraput	2012-13	Peripheral development	Contribution amount Rs.184.89 lakhs
Collector, Koraput	2013-14	Peripheral development	Contribution amount Rs.20.00 lakhs
Collector, Koraput	2014-15	Peripheral development	Contribution amount Rs.20.00 lakhs
Collector, Koraput	2015-16	Peripheral development	Contribution amount Rs.10.00 lakhs

3.      Details of fund given to different organizations  for advertisement by NALCO from 2009 to 2015 is as follows.

Year	Particulars	Amount	Purpose  ( publicity-media)
2011-12	Semiliguda Press Club	20,000	Financial Assistance
	East Coast Sports Association, Visakhapatnam	20,000	DO
	Vice President, NEI, Bilaspur	7,500	DO
	Women’s welfare organisation, Bilaspur	6,000	DO
	Jay Prakash Foundation, Bhubaneswar	5,000	DO
	Total	58,000
2012-13	National Institute of Miners Health, Nagpur	15,000	DO
	Odisha Ministerial Officers Association, Koraput	20,000	DO
	General Secretary, OPTRA, Bhoi Nagar, Bhubaneswar	20,000	DO
	Bhagaban Choudhury	20,000	Financial Assistance for Gramya Committee, Putraghati
	Total	75,000
2013-14	Eastern Media Limited, Jeypore ( Sambad)	20,000	Complementary Adv.
	NALCO Employees Union ( For Souvenir)	20,000	DO
	The Institute of Engineers	20,000	DO
	Secretary, District Blood Donation	10,000	Complementary Adv.
	Total	70,000
2014-15	Sri Goura Ch. Choudhury for celebration of Thakurani Yatra	10,000	Celebration of Thakurai Yatra
	Maa Ganeswari Thakurani, Potangi	20,000	Celebration of Thakurani Yatra
	Eastern Media Ltd. (Sambad)	20,000	Complementary Adv.
	Diploma Engineers’ Association, Damanjodi	20,000	DO
	Koraput Association of Deaf, Koraput	20,000	Financial Assistance
	Jeypore Law College	10,000	DO
	The Institute of Engineers, Sunabeda	50,000	DO
	Semiliguda Press Club	20,000	DO
	Odisha Association of Small and Medium Enterprise	50,000	DO
	Principal, Semiliguda College	5,000	Financial Assistance for Souvenir
	Principal, Lakhmipur College	5,000	Financial Assistance
	The Samaj	5,000	Complementary adv.
	Natya Utsav, Damanjodi	20,000	Financial Assistance
	Govt. College, Koraput	5,000	DO
	Total	2,65,000
2015-16	Panchapatamali Natya Mohastav, Damanjodi	20,000	Financial assistance
	Gramya Committee, Putraghati	10,000	DO
	Diploma Engineers Association, Damanjodi	20,000	DO
	Koraput District Assoiatio of Deaf	20,000	DO
	Dharitri Odia daily	20,000	Complementary Adv.
	The Samaj, Cuttack	20,000	DO
	Zilla Parishad Sangha, Koraput	60,000	DO
	Eastern Media Limited ( Sambad)	20,000	DO
	Maa Ghara, Koraput	10,000	DO
	Total	2,00,000

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 16.3.16

MSCIC disposes 5000 cases per year against 250 cases disposed by OIC

Maharashtra State  Chief  Information  Commissioner  disposes  5000 cases per year against  around 250 cases  disposed  by  each Odisha Information Commissioner

The effective implementation of  any  law  requires  robust  Grievance Redressal  Mechanism  in place for time-bound disposal of  any  complaint  with regard  to non-implementation of the  law.   RTI Act  has inbuilt  mechanism  of two  grievance redressal procedures  i.e.,  appeal  under  section 19  and  complaint under section 18  of the Act. In case  of  violation of  any provisions of the Act or denial of  information  or  supply of  misleading  and false information,  a citizen has liberty  to file  complaint  or  appeal against  the erring PIO or Public authority  before  Information Commission.  The  Information Commission is empowered  to hear and dispose  the case   and   enforce supply of the Information and    impose penalty  ( Rs. 250.00  per day   up to   maximum  Rs. 25,000.00 )  on PIO  and  recommend  disciplinary proceedings  against  them.

But  delay  in  disposal of the cases  and  pendency  of  huge  number of cases  in the  office of Information  Commissions  has become matter  of concern  across  the  country.  To reduce pendency and quick disposal of cases, the Information Commissions have adopted various methods.

Sri Ratnakar Gaikwad,  Maharastra Chief  Information Commissioner  has  disposed with written order   record number of 20,002 cases  ( 18,531 Second Appeals and 1471 Complaint  cases )  from June 2012 ( date of joining )   to  Feb. 2016. The average disposal of cases per year is 5000. Similarly, Sri Shailesh Gandhi, former Central Information Commissioner had disposed 20,400 cases during his tenure of 3 years and 9 months.    

But the information obtained through RTI has exposed that the disposal of  the cases  by Odisha Information Commission is very  low leading to  rise in  pendency   up to 6000 cases by Dec.2015.  During 7 months of their working as State Information Commissioners, Mrs. Sashi Prava Bindhani and Mr.  L.N.Patnaik have disposed total no. of 269 cases (134 cases disposed by each Information Commissioner within 7 months). Earlier the former Information Commissioners like Sri Jagadanand Mohanty, Tarun Kanti Mishra  and Sri Pramod Kumar Mohanty  were  disposing   around 700  cases  per year.   The Odisha Information commission avails equal facilities, salary, allowance, accommodations as enjoyed by other State Information Commissioners and Central Information Commissioners.

Now, the question comes why Odisha Information Commissioners could not dispose more number of cases. It is due to their inefficiency, lethargic, idleness lack of knowledge and expertise to hear and dispose the case.  Since beginning,  the State Govt.  has tried  to dilute the Act  and  hatched   conspiracy  to   keep the Information Commission defunct  by appointing  inexperienced  and  inefficient  people  like Mr. Jagadanand Mohanty  in the post  of  Information Commission.  The  information Commission  has continued  to suffer  and gained ill-reputation  and  miserably failed to  give justice  to  the  Information-Seekers.  The long delay in disposal of the cases by the Commission has discouraged the people to file the case in the Commission to get justice.  Keeping it in view, RTI Activists across the country have come to the street to demand to quicken disposal of the cases by the Commission. Sri Ratnakar Gaikawad, Maharastra CIC has said that  for reducing  the pendency  in Commissions that is threatening  the RTI Act, every  Commissioner  should pass  an order  on at least  25 appeals  after hearing  both sides on daily basis.  

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date-8.3.16

Interview of Pradip Pradhan published in Pioneer . English daily published on 15.3.16

OKCL-BUREAUCRATS NEXUS A HUGE BURDEN ON STATE EXCHEQUER

Tuesday, 15 March 2016 | Sugyan Choudhury | in Bhubaneswar

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Pradip Pradhan, an eminent RTI activist of Odisha and national working committee member of NCPRI (National Campaign for People’s Right to Information), has been nominated as a member of the Core Advisory Group of the National Human Rights Commission on Right to Food. He has taken up a lot of issues relating to hunger, and malnutrition in the KBK region. His work on monitoring of food security programme implemented by the Government has been highly hailed. He has been felicitated for his outstanding contributions as a whistleblower of the society through his RTI campaigns. This conscientious social warrior breathes all fire and brimstone along with his friends of the Odisha Soochna Adhikar Abhiyan and makes use of RTI extensively to expose corruption and black-marketing of food-grains, malfunctioning of PDS. His nomination to the NHRC advisory body will undoubtedly help the NHRC address food security issues effectively in Odisha in particular. In an interview to The Pioneer, this worrywart spoke to Sugyan Choudhury in Bhubaneswar.

 What are the major breakthroughs in your campaign against corruption?

I have been working since 1995 on various issues relating to gross irregularities, discrepancies, corruption in the KBK region over PDS, malnutrition, hunger and on the right of the Adivasis over their land. But the greatest breakthrough has been on land scams. This we achieved even before the CAG found it. To begin with, we came to know that in 1991, Bijubabu had acquired hundred decimals of land which was encroached by him since 1962, now under Naveen Nivas. The applicant for the said plot of land was Mrs Gyan Patnaik. Bijubabu in his official note mentioned that she could not be entitled for the same; however the plot of land could be allotted to her by paying double the amount of premium. But it is learnt from records that she paid not the double amount of premium though the same GA plot was allotted to her by violating rules and the same is now under the possession of Naveen Nivas.

The next tell-tale evidence of corruption was exposed by us in June 2015. There are 27 companies which are using waters from the reservoirs of the Mahanadi, the Brahmani, the Baitarani, etc. These companies have not paid their water taxes for the last fourteen years. A whopping amount of Rs 6,000 crore is pending against them. But the companies have gone to the High Court, which has granted stay on the matter. Now, the State Government is sitting over the fence and not taking any move to vacate the stay order.

The next instance: Corruption took place in Balangir district for recruitment to posts of Amins and RIs. We exposed these clandestine dealings through our RTI activities, and you know now all the selections to 152 posts have been annulled. The then Collector Debaraj Mishra was arrested. The Vigilance Department has lodged an FIR.

 What are the other achievements through your Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhiyan?

One of the greatest successful missions was the unearthing of the shady deals in establishing the OKCL (Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited) by the State Government. Previously, we had the SIET, which is a premier institute and there are six such institutes throughout the country fully funded for spread of computer education in elementary schools. But we found to our utter surprise that all the funds have been transferred to the OKCL which was formed in 2012 in collaboration with the Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited. We were told mischievous lies that the Central Government had denied to fund the SIET in Odisha. Later, we were given to understand that the SIET could no longer function because of the rude behaviour of its staffs and owing to their incessant strikes. The State Government maintained that this OKCL is a public company. On further inquiry, we came to know that the State Government has only 30 per cent equity share in the company and it has no say in financial and administrative matters excepting to preside over the affairs. Thus, it was clear to us that the OKCL dances to the tune of the private player having all the power over financial and administrative matters. Interestingly enough, the Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation has been blacklisted by the Maharashtra Government and inquiry has been ordered into its affairs. We came to know at least out of Rs 780 crore sanctioned by the Union HRD Ministry, over Rs 200 crore has been given to the OKCL under ICT at schools programme. Intriguingly enough, this tainted sheep OKCL has released crores of rupees to another fraud company called IL and FS for ICT at school programme for nearly 400 schools out of a total 4,000. We have filed RTIs before office of the Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department, RAMSAY and we have made appeal to the HRD Ministry but to no avail so far. I have also filed a case in the CBI, before the State Vigilance and am going to file a case in the High Court to unearth the OKCL scam. Money is our schools, our children, and the educational system is ours. But we have no say over the company which is siphoning away crores of rupees by a combine of bureaucrats and private players. Even Ministers have little to do over the issue. There is no transparency, no accountability in the OKCL.

 Do you have other charges against OKCL and Higher Education Department?

We came to know that the OKCL has been again trusted for digitalisation of three universities, Gangadhar Meher, Khallikote and Ramadevi, despite the objection of the Chairman of the Ramadevi University Admission Committee. When suspicion looms large over the OKCL, intriguingly enough a Joint Secretary, Ajay Nayak, has issued letter to the OKCL with memos to the three universities for placing orders to it for digitalisation. The style of functioning and writing of letter by Shri Nayak is also objectionable since he has written letters on his own despite mentioning “I am directed to say...” This reveals that there is a nexus existing between bureaucrats like Nayak and the OKCL.

 Who do you think are responsible for establishment of the OKCL?

First of all, I would point my fingers at CM Naveen Patnaik who proved gullible to put his signature on the note-sheet for formation of the company. You know that the bureaucrats have their own designs and by the time the company got floated, Bijay Patnaik was the Chief Secretary. Long after his superannuation, it is reportedly learnt from all available sources that he reaps a rich bonanza since the OKCL is allegedly managed by him through proxy management. Bureaucrats spread such networks so that long after their retirement, they would have their dealings. In almost all departments, they are going I for outsourcing!

 Why does the Government resort to outsourcing in almost all departments?

The reason is simple. If the departments go in for outsourcing and for PPP mode, they would be able to swindle the creams without coming through the AG scanner of the State and the CAG of the Centre.

 Are you hopeful you can bring them to justice through the High Court?

We certainly hope so. This is a huge corruption and it should not be allowed to continue to plunder our State. That’s why we have approached all grievance redressal authorities. Still, we have not got any response. That’s why we want to move the High Court.

 Are roles of RTI activists indispensable?

I would reply in an emphatic affirmative. In the village level, they are asking you for Rs 1,000 for an old age pension. They are asking you for Rs 20,000 for Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana and the like. When you cannot enhance the Bardhakya Bhatta and cannot provide ration cards to all the needy, what is the use of providing rice and dalma at Rs 5? They want to keep people hungry so that people will run after them. What’s the need of solving their real issues under food security programme! Thus, you can well imagine the role of RTI activists.

 Do you apprehend any threat to your life?

I know no fear since I nourish no prejudice against anybody. We work for a cause. To save the society, the State and the nation is the collective responsibility of the civil society. The RTI catalytic instrument wages another civil war of independence to translate Gandhiji’s Ramrajya into the sunshine of reality.