'RTI fee misused'
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 08 2011: Even though there is provision of depositing application fees for filing RTI application to the state account number 0070, State Public Information Officer and State Project Director, MIS, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shikshya Abhiyan Manipur, Sumanta Singh has refunded a fee of Rs 10 to the applicant Wahengbam Joykumar of Wangkhei Hijam Leirak.

The act of the PIO has created astounded the RTI applicant.

Joykumar said that he applied for information regarding the list of programmes to be implemented under RMSA along with the amounts of funds sanctioned from 2009-10 to 2010-11.He also sought information of list of schools of the four valley districts of the state to be improved under RMSA along with amounts sanctioned for each school and whether the tenders of works to be undertaken under RMSA were published in newspapers.

He filed the application on November 15, 2010.After the appellate authority failed to give any information within 30 days, he again sought information from the Manipur Information Commission which is dealt by State Information Commissioner Ch Birendra.

After filing the application, PIO Sumant Singh IAS furnished the information to him on December 23, 2010 .

To his surprise Sumant Singh refunded the fee which he had deposited as application fee saying that he could not furnished the information within the time limit which is out of the provision of the RTI Act.

The State Information Commissioner on March 31 this year instructed the PIO Sumant Singh to pay a fine of Rs 1000 to the applicant and deposit the application fee to the state account.

Joykumar alleged that the SIC is giving direction in favour of the PIO instead of doing his duty sincerely.

He said that the fine payable to an applicant for delaying in furnishing information is Rs 250 per day under the provision of RTI Act.

But the SIC is advising the PIO to give only Rs 1000 which is far lesser than the actual amount payable.

Moreover the instruction of the SIC to the PIO to deposit the application fee in the state account clearly shows the misappropriation of public fund which is against the provision of the RTI Act.

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