Rafiabad, Sept 4: Praising Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his statement wherein he approved bringing political parties under the ambit of RTI act, former minister and senior Congress leader Abdul Gani Vakil has invited his attention on the condition of the State Information Commission, which according to him was rendered toothless.
"If Chief Minister was really interested in strengthening the RTI regime, he must have himself called the meeting of all PIO of the state and should have directed them to provide information to the applicants without distorting the facts and figures, which could have contributed a lot in strengthening the institution of RTI, mere providing of manpower and logistic support does not serve the purpose and objective of RTI Act," Vakil said.
Vakil said that through RTI query it was revealed that near about 80% of the school buildings, which as per records stand constructed under SSA, are either non-existent or abandoned halfway swindling 560 crores in education department. Similarly more than 3000 works allotted without tenders in R&B department, but Chief Minister failed to take cognizance of the facts, which were in public domain. "There are many instances when information obtained under this Act revealed bungling in Urban Development, Agriculture, PHE/Irrigation & FC and other Departments but no action was taken afterwards" said Vakil.
Besides others who addressed the gathering include Sr. Congress Leader and Ex MLC Haji Ali Mohammad Bhat, Sr. Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Shah, Haji Mohammad Afzal Khan and Pandit Brij Nath Nehru. |
