SIC slaps fine on eight officials of Rampur, Bijnor
LUCKNOW: The state information commissioner (SIC) Hafiz Usman on Wednesday imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 each on eight government officials of Rampur and Bijnor for failing to provide information to RTI applicants.
The SIC passed the order after officials concerned failed to appear before the information commission and neither provided information to the RTI applicants.
Despite several notices, these officials neither provided information nor appeared before the commission, said SIC Usman.
“I imposed a fine on government officials of Bijnor and Rampur after they failed to provide information to the RTI applicants and despite several reminders they did not appear before the information commission,” said Usman.
A fine of Rs 25000 each has been imposed on eight government officials of Bijnor and Rampur districts, he added.
While hearing second appeals, the information commission directs government officials or public information officers concerned to provide information to the information commission as sought by the applicant through RTI. Notices are served and if the department or the official fails to provide information, the SIC imposes fine.
Now, realization of fine from PIOs, who fail to provide information to RTI applicants, has been made mandatory.
Erring officials would not be able to evade fine, which is deducted from their wages. WIDOW PENSION
An RTI query has revealed that 105 widows in Rampur district got Rs 21,00,000 widow- pension in the financial year 2014-2015.
“The samaj kalyan vibhag of Rampur had disbursed Rs 21,00,000 widow pension to 105 widows in the financial year 2014-2015. This information was revealed by an RTI query,” said Usman. Each widow got a total of Rs 20,000 pension in a year.
Rampal Singh, a native of Rampur district, had filed an RTI query with the samaj kalyan vibhag, Rampur, in January 2014, seeking information about the number of welfare schemes being run by the department.
When Singh failed to get information, he filed an RTI appeal with the state information commissioner Hafiz Usman. It was after the SIC took officials of the samaj kalyan vibhag to task, the department provided information to the RTI applicant.