New Delhi

‘Display details of development fund expenditure'

NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission has in separate decisions ordered the Delhi Government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to install boards in every ward of Delhi displaying expenditure details of Local Area Development Funds of the MLA and councillor of that area. As per the orders, details of the expenditure incurred in the current year and the previous year have to be provided on these boards in Hindi.

The Commission's orders are in response to complaints filed by Satark Nagrik Sangathan, a citizens' group, which uses the Right to Information Act to access information and prepare report cards on the performance of elected representatives.

In the complaints filed before the CIC, Satark Nagrik Sangathan had stated that every year in Delhi over Rs.400 crore is spent through the MLA and councillor local area development funds and yet the Government has not put in place adequate mechanisms to provide information on utilisation of these funds to people.

“Under Section 4 of the RTI Act, the Government is required to proactively provide this kind of information in an easily accessible manner and in the local language to people. Despite a huge amount of public money being spent on these funds every year, most people have no information of how the money is being utilised in their area. In fact, due to lack of transparency, we find that these funds are often spent on non-priority works while basic development needs of people remain largely unaddressed,” said Anjali Bhardwaj of Satark Nagrik Sangathan.

Basic obligation

Taking a strict view of the violation of the RTI Act by the Delhi Government and the MCD, the CIC in its orders has observed that providing this information was a basic obligation of the Government under Section 4 of the RTI Act and that this obligation should have been met by October 2005. The CIC has now directed the Chief Secretary of Delhi and the Commissioner of the MCD to put up boards displaying this information in Hindi in every ward of Delhi by March 15.

As per the orders of the CIC, boards have to be installed at public locations in every ward of Delhi. Details of each project, including total amount sanctioned, date of start of work, date of completion of work, name of contractor and actual expenditure on work have to be provided on the board. This information is also to be maintained and updated every year.

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