Assam Information Commission for action against few government departments

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A worried Assam Information Commission (AIC) has strongly recommended suitable action against a few State government's departments that failed to comply with the provisions under the RTI (Right to Information) Act.

According to rules, all State government departments have to submit their annual reports to the State Information Commission spelling out details of RTI applications received and their responses to them. However, while some of the departments have not filed their annual reports to the Commission, some submitted the reports only partially. While some of the departments submitted their annual reports on time, some of them submitted the reports after repeated reminders.

According to the recently published annual report of the Assam Information Commission 2018-19, while 16 departments submitted their annual reports to the Commission within the due date, 19 departments submitted their reports only after the first reminder, 21 departments submitted their reports after the second and the third reminders, four departments submitted their reports after the fourth and the fifth reminders and three departments didn't submit their annual reports at all. The three departments are PWD (Road), Public Enterprises and Transformation and Development.

The Annual Report of the Commission further said that nine department submitted their annual reports only partially. The nine departments are Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Cooperation, Environment and Forest, Excise, Information and Public Relations, Panchayat and Rural Development, Labour Welfare, Social Welfare and Urban Development.

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