Malnutrition can not be checked in Odisha under Nabin regime-Why ?

State Govt.’s naked failure   to develop Infrastructure of   AWCs led to collapse of ICDS programme in Odisha

·      Only 44% of Anganwadi Centres   having their own building.

·      While  Kendrapara district is having 80% of  AWCs with no  building infrastructure,  Koraput district, infamous  for  malnourished  tribal  children  has only 50%  AWCs of its own  building.

·      Many of building of Anganwadi centres are functioning in dilapidated condition.

·      Lakhs of the children are taking cooked food under open sky or someone’s verandah.

·      Lack of infrastructural facilities  has led  to collapse of ICDS programme in tribal pockets of Odisha.

·      Due to corruption ad irregularities   in distribution of Chhatua, egg and cooked food,   ICDS   has completely failed to increase nutritional standard of the children in the state.

·      Failure of ICDS programme has led to increase of malnourished   children in the state.

Dear friends

Odisha is very infamous for its notoriety of highest child death in India despite State Govt.’s tall claim of successfully carrying out ICDS project in Odisha.  In fact, ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme)  is  universal  scheme  being  undertaken  by State Govt. with  financials  support  from Central  Government  to  provide  nutritious  food  to the  children, lactating and pregnant  women  besides    undertaking  immunisation programme, referral service  and pre-school education.  The whole ICDS programme revolves around Anganwadi Centre which   caters all services meant for beneficiaries   free of cost.  This programme is implemented in Odisha more than 30 years in Odisha. While  hearing  Writ Petition  case No. 196/2001, the hon’ble Supreme Court  had  issued  direction  in 2001 and 2002  to  both State and Central  Govt. to universalise ICDS programme and   ensure necessary budgetary allocation for   providing infrastructure facilities i.e., own building  to  all  Anganwadi Centres.  Though 15 years passed since order of Apex Court,  the State Govt. has failed  to  provide  own building less than 50% of the AWCs  in Odisha.

Information on Anganwadi Centers

( the information obtained  under RTI from the Dept. of Women ad Child Development, Govt. of Odisha dated 31.3.2017)

Sl.No.	Name of district	Sanctioned			Own building (As on 31.12.2016)
		AWC	Mini AWC	Total
1	Angul	1622	32	1654	939
2	Balasore	3687	480	4167	1055
3	Baragarh	2670	229	2899	1116
4	Bhadrak	2166	269	2435	849
5	Bolangir	2472	188	2660	1496
6	Boudh	650	67	717	450
7	Cuttack	2992	326	3318	770
8	Cuttack	2992	326	3318	770
9	Dhenkanal	1873	327	3318	770
10	Gajapati	1451	924	2375	894
11	Gajam	5073	66	5139	1735
12	Jagatsingh Pur	1647	193	1840	525
13	Jajpur	2760	46	2806	717
14	Jharsuguda	786	171	957	664
15	Kalahandi	1837	410	2247	1411
16	Kandhamal	1580	522	2102	1364
17	Kendrapara	1883	264	2147	446
18	Keonjhar	2512	745	3257	1889
19	Khurda	2409	145	2554	747
20	Koraput	2723	541	3264	1617
21	Malkangiri	1020	230	1250	1050
22	Mayurbhanj	3680	1200	4880	3041
23	Nawarangpur	2038	181	2219	1495
24	Nayagarh	1169	415	1584	447
25	Nuapara	1216	140	1356	970
26	Puri	2560	39	2599	607
27	Rayagada	1397	550	1947	962
28	Sambalpur	1466	380	1846	1368
29	Subarnapur	1250	321	1571	694
30	Sundargarh	3010	799	3809	2351
Total		62171	10416	72587	33564

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 23.6.17 

Appeal to all RTI Activists and Information-seekers about their appeals and Complaints

Appeal to all RTI Activists and Information-seekers  to submit to Assistant Public Information Officers (APIOs) their First Appeals, Second Appeals and Complaints as required under section 5 (2) of the Act  for forwarding same forthwith  to First Appellate Authorities and Information Commission

Dear friends

RTI Activists and  Information-seekers  should  compel  APIO ( Assistant Public Information Officer)  to   receive  their applications,  First Appeals, Second appeals  and complaints  and forward  the same to the PIO, First Appellate Authority  and  Information Commission   respectively. If  he refuses,  the Appellant or Complainant  should  file  complaint  against APIO directly  to State Information Commission  under section 18  of the RTI Act. 

As per section 5 (2) of the RTI Act, every Public Authority  shall designate an officer as Assistant Public Information Officer (APIO)  to receive the applications  for information or appeals  under the Act for forwarding the same forthwith to the  Public Information Officer or  First Appellate Authority  under section 19(1) or State Information Commission or Central Information Commission.

The State Information Commission while adjudicating Second Appeal Case No. 375/09 has issued direction to the State Govt. to issue appropriate guideline/instruction for functioning of APIO designated under   section 5(2) of the RTI Act. Accordingly, on 7.1.2013, the State Govt. in I and PR Dept., nodal Dept. issued guideline to all Principal Secretaries/ Commissioner-cum-Secretary/Special Secretaries of Govt. Departments for smooth  functioning of the APIOs of different public authorities  in order to remove  any functional difficulties  faced during implementation of the Act.

Despite the guideline in place, the APIOs are seen refusing to receive  the first appeal petitions   from the appellants ad their by harassing them.   In case,   RTI Activists and RTI Users find APIOs refusing appeals  and complaint petitions, they  should  directly  file complaint  to Information Commission  to get justice.  The  Notification issued  by I and PR dept.  dated  7.1.2013  and sent to all departments  in respect of guidelines  for APIOs is as follows.

Guidelines  for APIOs

a.      The APIO shall receive all RTI requests / applications  from persons seeking  information  and forward the same  application  to the appropriate PIOs  by recorded mail ( such as  Registered post  or speed post)  within 5 days  of the receipt  the application  as envisaged  in the setion-5 of the RTI At, 2005.

b.      The APIO  shall receive  all first  / second appeals  from the appellants  and forward the same appeals  to the First Appellate Authority ( FAA)/ Odisha  Information Commission  as the case may  be  within 5 days of the receipt of the  appeal  by recorded mail  ( such  as registered post or speed post). 

c.       APIO should render all assistance to the PIO, referred PIO and FAA while disposing RTI Applications and first appeals respectively.

d.      APIO  should  maintain  a Register  containing  the details of  RTI Applications / appeals  received ad forwarded  to  appropriate  quarters  with date  & time  and mode of transmission.

e.      APIO should render all assistance to the RTI Applicant during inspection of records.

f.          APIO should render all assistance to PIO during compilation of annual report  under  section 25  of the RTI Act. 

g.      APIO  should  render all assistance  to the PIO  while updating  the proactive disclosure  ( 17 manuals)  and e-filing  of applications  at RTI portal  in  regular interval.

h.      APIO should  render all assistance  to the PIO  while maintaining  RTI registers, files, Cash Book, records  etc.  and many other matters  relating  to  the implementation of  RTI Act.  

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 26.6.17