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| Penalty proceedings initiated against JD, Manager Seed Multiplication Farm | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 27 : State Information Commission (SIC) has initiated penalty proceedings against Joint Director Agriculture Jammu and Farm Manager Chinore for denying information to an RTI applicant regarding funding provided to the Seed Multiplication farm Chinore and its utilization. The information seeker was told to deposit Rs 50,000 as xerox charges for the information which was not provided to him. Information seeker finally moved an appeal before State Information Commission (SIC) which took strong note of the whole issue.
Details available with Early Times reveal that one Sunil Kumar a resident of Shah Doula Kotli RS Pura Jammu , while exercising his right to information filed an RTI application with the Public Information Officer (PIO) Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Jammu on 27-05-2017 sought to know total amount released so far by Central and State Government to Seed Multiplication Farm, Chinore, detailed information regarding the utilization of funds for last two years , detailed information with certified vouchers, quotations, contingent register, dispatch register, record register; auction if any for last two years etc.
As no information was provided to the applicant by the PIO, he filed the 1st appeal with Director Agriculture and 2nd appeal before the State Information Commission (SIC) Jammu.
During the last hearing held on 15-01-2018, the PIO and FAA had assured SIC that in view of voluminous information sought by the appellant, the respondents would allow the appellant to have inspection of records and to take relevant copies after such inspection, but appellant Sunil Kumar submitted that Farm Manager, Chinore denied inspection of records to the appellant on one pretext to other.
The CAO informed the SIC that the records relating to the information sought by the appellant have been kept ready by the Farm Manager for inspection by the appellant and the appellant is welcome to have the inspection on any day.
SIC in its order ruled, " Denial of information is not only a violation of a statutory right of the appellant under the RTI Act, but also infringement of his fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed to him under the Constitution of India, as applicable to State of Jammu and Kashmir. Any officer whose assistance is sought by the PIO is under a statutory duty to render the assistance sought and for the purpose of any contravention of the provisions of the Act, such officer is accountable and liable to the penalty under the Act. The concerned PIO/ Joint Director, Agriculture Extension, Jammu has also failed to discharge his responsibilities under the Act". |
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