Real staff dead, nine proxies still working: RTI

Times of India: Guwahati: Thursday, 25 April 2024.
Among 3,365 proxy employees in Mizoram govt, nine are working even after the real govt employees they were impersonating had already died, state department of personnel and administrative reforms (DP and AR) recently said.
In a reply to queries through the Right to Information Act, 2005, state public information officer of DP and AR said it was discovered that nine substitute employees continued to work for the state govt even after the death of the real employees.
The SPIO, however, refused to reveal the names, posts and places of postings on the pretext that the facts are being among those cases being exempted from being publicised by the official notifications, the state govt made from time to time as allowed under section 8 of the RTI Act.
Meanwhile, DP and AR minister K Sapdanga on Tuesday said besides proxy employees, there are a large number of govt servants working in the posts where they have not been posted by the govt or the respective departments.
Sapdanga said the issue of employment of proxies will be taken up immediately after the Election Commission of India lifts the model code of conduct. The process of the ongoing general election to the Parliament for the lone Mizoram Lok Sabha seat is scheduled to be over by June 6.
The danger of employing substitutes/proxies lies in the fact that though not being regular employees they have access to all the government files including confidential communications, he said. "Even if they (the substitute employees) reveal government secrets and confidential matters, the state government is constrained to punish them under conduct rules as they are not government employees," he said.

Tamil Nadu: Dindigul, Salem on top in stopping child marriages: RTI

New Indian Express: Tamilnadu: Thursday, 25 April 2024.
According to a data accessed through RTI, the Community Service Registers (CSRs) and First Information Reports (FIRs) filed on child marriage cases were far less than the actual number of incidents that were stopped following the interference of authorities.
Dindigul and Salem districts are among the top districts in stopping child marriages in Tamil Nadu for the last three years from January 2021 to February 2024, revealed data accessed by way of Right to Information Act from the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department.
However, the Community Service Registers (CSRs) and First Information Reports (FIRs) filed on child marriage cases were far less than the actual number of incidents that were stopped following the interference of authorities, the data showed.
This was revealed in the RTI data accessed by advocate and child rights activist, S Prabakar, from the Commissionerate of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department, for the past three years.
It was also revealed after authorities stopped child marriage incidents, police complaints on the cases were not registered by district authorities concerned, and some districts are filling the cases after the incident.
“In 2021 from January to December, 2,638 child marriages were stopped in Tamil Nadu, in which CSR or FIR filed only 707 cases, which is just 26.80%. Similarly, in 2022 from January to December, 2, 401 child marriages were stopped in which CSR or FIR was filed on 881 cases, which is 36.69%.

And in 2023 from January to December, 1,961 child marriages were stopped, in which 973 cases were registered as CSR or FIR, which is 49.62 %. Similarly, in January and February 2024, 347 child marriages were stopped, of which 128 complaints were registered as CSR or FIR, which is 36.89%,” explained Prabakar.
He said, “More FIRs will reduce child marriage and teenage pregnancy cases in Tamil Nadu. Apart from stopping child marriages, the district administration should make efforts to file cases against people.”
Salem Collector R Brindha Devi told TNIE that they are working on the issue and taking steps to reduce child marriage, and even recently career guidance programme was conducted for higher secondary school students.
Dindigul district Collector MN Poongodi was unavailable for comments.
However, Dindigul District Social Welfare Officer G Pushpakala told TNIE, “In 2023, the number of child marriages stopped was 121; however CSR or FIR was filed only on 44 cases. We are taking steps to make CSR or FIR for 10 more cases for the year 2023. In many cases after stopping child marriage, there are no sufficient documents to file police complaint against them and in few cases, members of families where child marriages were stopped fled to other districts.”
Theni collector RV Shajeevana was unavailable for comment.
An official from Theni district collectorate asked TNIE to contact the Collector after the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha election because the collector was busy with election duty and could not talk to the media on certain topics.

ECIL, BEL refuse to disclose names of manufacturers of EVM, VVPAT components under RTI Act

Telegraph India: New Delhi: Thursday, 25 April 2024.
A similar response was sent by ECIL which said the details requested are related to a product which is being manufactured by ECIL, and third party in nature

Electronics Corporation of India Ltd and Bharat Electronics Ltd have refused to disclose the names and contact details of the manufacturers and suppliers of various components of EVMs and VVPATs under the RTI Act citing "commercial confidence", according to RTI responses from the PSUs to an activist.
Activist Venkatesh Nayak had filed two identical Right To Information applications with the ECIL and BEL, seeking the details of the manufacturers and suppliers of various components used in the assembling of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPATs).
The VVPAT is an independent vote verification system which enables electors to see whether their votes have been cast correctly.
The ECIL and the BEL, public sector undertakings under the Ministry of Defence, manufacture EVMs and VVPATs for the Election Commission.
Nayak also sought a copy of the purchase orders for the components from both PSUs.
"Information sought is in commercial confidence. Hence details cannot be provided under Section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act," BEL said in its response.
A similar response was sent by ECIL which said the details requested are related to a product which is being manufactured by ECIL, and third party in nature.
"Disclosing of details will affect the Competitive position of ECIL. Hence, Exemption is claimed under section 8(1) (d) of RTI ACT, 2005," it said.
In response to the purchase order copies, ECIL's central public information officer said the information is "voluminous" which would disproportionately divert the resources of the Public Authority.
"Further, the information will give away the design details of EVM components. The same may pose a danger to the machines produced. Hence, the exemption is claimed U/s 7(9) and under section 8(1)(d) of RTI Act, 2005," ECIL said.
Section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act exempts from disclosure the information, including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information.
Section 7(9) of the Act says the information shall ordinarily be provided in the form in which it is sought unless it would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority or would be detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in question.
"I don't know whose interests they are trying to protect against the right to know of close to a billion-strong electorate. ECIL said that disclosure of the purchase orders will reveal the design details of the components and this may pose a danger to the machines produced. ECIL did not upload even a signed copy of its reply on the RTI Online Portal," Nayak said.
He said it is reasonable to infer that the two companies are not manufacturing every single item of the EVM-VVPAT combo or else the two companies would have replied that they are manufacturing all these components internally without any outsourcing being involved.
"But the electorate is expected to take everything about the voting machines based on what the ECI is claiming in its manuals and FAQs," Nayak said.

Bullet Train Completion Date Depends On...: What Railways Said In RTI Reply

NDTV: New Delhi: Thursday, 25 April 2024.
The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is constructing the 508 km long corridor, said this in response to an application under the Right to Information Act.

The Indian Railways is unable to assess the completion date of the country's first bullet train project because all work tenders have not been awarded yet.
The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is constructing the 508 km long corridor, said this in response to an application under the Right to Information Act.
Madhya Pradesh-based Chandra Shekhar Gaur sought to know if the NHSRCL is in a position to give a final date for the completion of the whole project though an application under the RTI.
Responding to the same, the NHSRCL said, "Completion date for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project (MAHSRP) can be assessed after award of all tenders/packages." The project was launched in 2017 and initially it was scheduled to be ready by December 2023 but land acquisition issues as well as Covid delayed its progress significantly.
The Railways Ministry has officially announced the completion of the first phase, a 50-km long stretch between Surat and Bilimora, by August 2026. It also announced in January 2024 that 100 per cent land was acquired for the project.
The NHSRCL also said in response to the RTI application that rail tracks have not been laid yet, adding, however, by April 6, 2024, "a total length of 157 km viaduct has been completed".
Providing an update on the progress work of the corridor, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed on X on March 28, 2024 that 295.5 km of pier work and 153 km of viaduct has been completed.
"Piers are big cylindrical columns erected on the ground. Girders are placed on piers to make a viaduct. On the viaduct, a reinforced concrete track bed is placed. Then comes the precast track slab on it. The rails are fitted on the track slab with the help of fastening devices," said an expert associated with the project.
"Out of a total length of 508 km of the project, 465 km are on viaducts, 9,82 kms on bridges, 5,22 kms pass through mountain tunnels and 21km is underground with 7 km will be under the sea," he added.
According to the NHSRCL, the bullet train will run at its maximum speed of 320 km to cover the 508 km distance in 2 hours and 58 minutes which includes its stoppage time at all 10 stations. It will start from Mumbai and terminate at Sabarmati after covering ten stations namely Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand and Ahmedabad.
"Out of 508 km, 352 km falls in Gujarat and Dadar & Nagar Haveli and remaining 156 km is in Maharashtra. There are a total 12 stations out of which 8 are in Gujarat and 4 in Maharashtra," a project expert said, adding the estimated cost of the project is 1,08,000 crore.

‘TNPSC answer keys not public info, can’t be given under RTI law’

Times of India: Chennai: Thursday, 25 April 2024.
Answer keys for the Combined Civil Services (Group I) Mains examination conducted by Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) are not public documents and they cannot be accessed under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission has ruled.
The commission dismissed an appeal filed by an aspirant after recording the submission of TNPSC’s under secretary/public information officer Baskarapandian that the information sought was confidential in nature as “they are set by examiners and the evaluation is also done by the examiners themselves. Hence, such information could not be furnished to the petitioner.” The commission said the document cannot be placed under the ambit of the ‘public document’ and therefore the information sought cannot be given as such.
H Hemakumar, a resident of Anna Nagar had in 2020 sought evaluation guidelines and Mains answer key set by the TNPSC for evaluating the general studies paper I, paper 2 and paper 3 through RTI. However, TNPSC’s public information officer rejected the application and his first appeal too was rejected by the appellate authority, stating that it is a set of guidelines given by TNPSC to evaluators to assess the descriptive answer and cannot be considered as an answer key.
In 2021, the second appeal was filed before the commission and it first came up for hearing in Jan this year. The perusal of records showed that TNPSC did not give any guidelines to the evaluators to assess the descriptive answers, but evaluators themselves prepared notes to ensure uniformity and to have better clarity during evaluation.
The PIO was summoned again in this regard on April 10 and under secretary Baskarapandian appeared before the commission and said it was a mistake on their part to state that the guidelines to evaluate descriptive answers were issued by TNPSC.
“Descriptive type examinations have been set up by a committee of three members comprising assistant professors, associate professors and professors working in govt/aided colleges with minimum 15 years of experience, and they are in the form of hints which are indicative in nature,” the official submitted.
The commission accepted the official’s submission that the document sought is confidential in nature and dismissed the petition.

RTI reveals increase in criminal activities in J&K in last 5 years: Raja Syed

Kashmir Convener: Srinagar: Wednesday, 24 April 2024.
There has been a surge in various criminal activities, including cases of police corruption, crimes against women, suicides and cyber fraud, data reveals.
According to the data, obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by M M Shuja in 2019, and available with the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the number of cases registered against police personnel in the district Srinagar has seen variations over the years.
In 2019, 8 cases were reported, which increased to 12 in 2020, dropped to 3 in 2021, rose again to 6 in 2022, and declined to 4 in 2023.
Similarly, under the category of Crimes Against Women (CAW), there has been a steady increase in reported cases. In 2019, 48 cases were registered, followed by 47 in 2020, 41 in 2021, 70 in 2022, and a spike to 113 in 2023. Five cases were reported up to January 31, 2024.
The RTI data also reveals other categories of criminal activity. Regarding suicide cases, there were 15 cases registered in 2019, which increased to 26 in 2020, further rose to 51 in 2021, and decreased to 41 in 2022 and 34 in 2023. In the current year, 3 cases were reported up to January.
Similarly, the number of murder cases varied over the years, with 6 cases reported in 2019, 13 in 2020 and 2022, 24 in 2021, and 6 in 2023. Only 1 case was reported up to January this year.
Kidnapping and rape cases have also shown variations, with 98 cases reported in 2019, 21 in 2020, 100 in 2021, 128 in 2022, 100 in 2023, and 8 cases reported up to January this year.
The data further shows the prevalence of cyber fraud cases, with variations in the number of cases registered and arrests made over the years. In 2020, 27 cyber fraud cases were reported, resulting in 7 arrests and recovery of Rs 80 lakh. The figures increased in 2021, with 27 cases reported, 39 arrests made, and Rs 1.60 crore recovered. In 2022, 56 cases were registered, leading to 44 arrests and recovery of Rs 3 crore. In 2023, 56 cases were reported, 42 arrests were made, and Rs 2 crore was recovered. Up to January 2024, 1 cyber fraud case was reported, with recovery exceeding Rs 50 lakh.
Since 2019, 33 policemen have been implicated in corruption cases in Srinagar, resulting in the recovery of Rs 7.9 crore stolen through cybercrime. A total of 235 policemen have retired during this period.

Only 2 of 489 Gurgaon play schools, 7 of Pkl’s 116 recognised: RTI info

Times of India: Chandigarh: Wednesday, 24 April 2024.
Only two of the 489 play schools being run in Gurgaon district of Haryana are recognized by the authorities, according to information obtained in response to an RTI (Right to Information) query. Similarly, out of the 116 play schools functioning in Panchkula district, only seven are registered/recognized.
In Ambala district, too, of the 36 private play schools functioning, only 17 have been registered and 19 are under inspection to register.

This information has been provided by the SPIO-cum-district programme officer Gurgaon, SPIO-cum-director, women and child development department, Panchkula, SPIO-cum-district programme officer, department of women and child development, Ambala, through different letters issued from April 5-22.
A Gurgaon-based RTI activist Aseem Takyar had sought details about the number of play schools being run in these three districts and how many of these had government recognition. The authorities also informed the applicant that the recognition has been accorded to these play schools as per the guidelines issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
As per the NCPCR guidelines, play schools at district level are granted recognition by the competent authority, which is the district level nodal officer responsible for implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) under department of Women and Child Development (WCD) /Social Justice as applicable in the respective states/UTs.
The NCPCR regulations also provide that no private play school shall be established without getting recognition of the competent authority and these should adhere to the terms and conditions specified for it.
The guidelines make it plain that there should be one teacher and one caregiver per 20 children, sets different parameters for the school building, limits school hours to 3-4 hours per day and specifies non-residential facilities.
The process for granting recognition to such schools as per the NCPCR guidelines begins once the the application is received and is scrutinized by the competent authority.
After short-listing the proposals, a minimum two-member team comprising officials not below block-level ones, will be formed by the competent authority to visit the proposed/established play school site.
The team will then submit its report in the prescribed format to the competent authority. On receipt of the report, the competent authority, if satisfied that the proposal for recognition fulfils the objectives, may issue a recognition certificate.

IIT Delhi’s placement trends show unemployment challenges, 22 per cent graduates yet to secure job in last 5 years: RTI

Organiser Weekly: Delhi: Wednesday, 24 April 2024.
In a revealing response to queries under the Right to Information Act, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has shed light on concerning job placement data for its students spanning from 2019 to 2023. The institution disclosed that approximately 22 per cent of students who actively pursued placements during this five-year timeframe encountered difficulties in securing employment
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has shared troubling data on job placements for its students from 2019 to 2023 in response to queries under the Right to Information Act. The institution revealed that about 22 per cent of students who sought placements during this 5-year period were unable to find jobs. This disclosure has sparked conversations about the employment prospects for graduates of this esteemed institution.
The institution mentioned that job placements are ongoing for this year but has chosen not to share specific appointment details. However, experts indicate an employment rate of approximately 40 per cent for 2024, which shows progress as compared to previous years but reveals that a considerable number of students are still facing challenges in getting employed.
The information from RTI shows that the average and median salaries at IIT Delhi have stayed the same for the last four years. In 2021-22, the average Cost to the Company (CTC) was Rs 23.8 lakhs, and the gross salary was Rs 19.9 lakhs. The median salary was Rs 18.2 lakhs (CTC) and Rs 16 lakhs (gross). In 2022-23, the average salary went down to Rs 21.9 lakhs (CTC) and Rs 18.6 lakhs (gross), with a median salary of Rs 19.5 lakhs (CTC) and Rs 17.4 lakhs (gross).
Information in a tabular form for better understanding

The placement numbers for the respective years provide insight into the unemployment situation. In 2021-22, all 1105 students registered with IIT Delhi’s career services were successfully placed. Out of 1513 registered students in 2022- 23, the number slightly increased to 1270. However, there were still 366 unplaced students in 2021-22 and 243 in 2022-23.
Dheeraj Singh, an IIT Kanpur alumnus and founder of the Global IIT Alumni Support Group, expressed his concern regarding the significant number of unplaced students at IIT Delhi in the last five years. Singh, who filed the RTI application, was shocked by the doubling of unplaced students to 40 per cent in the current year, highlighting this critical situation. He emphasised that IIT Delhi officials and the Ministry of
Education should solve the matter and tackle this job crisis. Singh pointed out the situation of unplaced students and how unemployment affects their emotional health, causing high levels of stress, anxiety, and hopelessness. He urged IIT Delhi to support these students and provide them with a second chance to participate in placements beyond the regular season.
Economists have also voiced their concerns regarding the placement numbers.
Eminent labour economist Santosh Mehrotra criticised the discrepancy between the reported 8.4 per cent growth rate of the country and the reality faced by IIT graduates. Mehrotra pointed out the inconsistency in the IITs’ communication about placements, noting a decline in placements compared to previous years. He highlighted the challenges faced by students, particularly in the startup sector, where job opportunities have dwindled.
Mehrotra painted a grim picture, noting a lack of growth in investment as a percentage of GDP. He highlighted that major companies, typically hiring IIT graduates, create fewer jobs, resulting in smaller job offers.
In summary, the information on job placements and salaries at IIT Delhi has raised concerns among analysts, economists, and alumni. The data reveals that many students are facing difficulties finding jobs, with little growth in salaries adding to the challenges. Urgent action and support from the institution and relevant authorities are crucial to address this worrying trend and provide better opportunities for the talented graduates of one of India’s top engineering colleges.

No Database Of Penal Action Taken Against MPs, Says ECI: Megha Kuchik

Free Press Journal: Kerala: Tuesday, 23 April 2024.
The revelation comes following a Right to Information (RTI) inquiry seeking details on notices issued and actions initiated against MPs since 2014
The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently disclosed that it does not maintain records of penal actions taken against members of Parliament (MPs) for various infractions, including violations of the model code of conduct. The revelation comes following a Right to Information (RTI) inquiry seeking details on notices issued and actions initiated against MPs since 2014. As the constitutional body tasked with overseeing and regulating elections nationwide, the Election Commission clarified that it does not possess organised data concerning notices served to MPs and subsequent actions taken against them. According to the ECI, compiling such information would impose a disproportionate burden on its resources.
As per an RTI activist, Article 324 of the Constitution grants the Election Commission the authority to supervise, direct and control elections to Parliament and state legislatures, as well as the elections for the President and vice-president of India. Despite its pivotal role in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process, the ECI appears to lack fundamental record-keeping mechanisms concerning notices and actions related to MPs.
Jeetendra Ghadge's statement
The absence of a comprehensive database documenting disciplinary measures against MPs has elicited concerns among activists and political analysts alike. Jeetendra Ghadge, representing ‘The Young Whistleblowers Foundation’, expressed disappointment over the commission’s apparent inaction in addressing violations by candidates and political parties. “At a time when candidates and political parties are resorting to hate speeches, making derogatory remarks, and attempting to sow divisions in society along religious and caste lines, the Election Commission’s failure to take concrete actions beyond issuing notices is alarming,” Ghadge said.
He urged the Election Commission to prioritise public interest and transparency by promptly publishing all relevant data regarding notices issued to MPs and the subsequent actions taken against them. Ghadge stressed the importance of accountability in ensuring the fair conduct of elections and upholding democratic principles. The commission must ensure that violators face appropriate consequences, thereby upholding the sanctity of the electoral process.

25-year-old Kerala activist files over 3,000 RTIs, sheds light on public safety lapses: Jithul Narayanan

New Indian Express: Kerala: Tuesday, 23 April 2024.
M V Shiplaraj filled his first RTI application in 2017, seeking details of safety measures adopted by teachers during student tours.
M V Shilparaj is looking to make it all ‘right’! The Cheemeni resident is on a mission to make right to information (RTI) work for society in its push for progress and development. So far, he has filed more than 3,000 RTI applications, and responses to them have made the local postman a regular visitor to his residence.
The 25-year-old filled his first RTI application in 2017, seeking details of safety measures adopted by teachers during student tours. In 2024, he filed a major application with Kasaragod fire station, for information on fire and safety facilities at public buildings in Kerala and schools in his home district of Kasaragod.
The reply threw light on the fact that such facilities are sorely lacking. It was revealed that of the 2,277 public buildings in the state, 983 do not have adequate fire and safety facilities. Of the total, 614 were school buildings, of which only 247 passed muster. Based on the reply, he drafted a report, which was sent to higher officials, including the chief minister, the additional chief secretary of the home affairs department and the director general of the fire and rescue department.
“People believe that filing an RTI is a tedious process. In reality, it is simple. Don’t file an RTI to fill gaps in information. It helps to reveal details of implemented projects and progress of those in the works. Filing an RTI should be taught at the school level so that children become familiar with the process,” suggests Shilparaj, who is a final-year MSW student at Sree Shankaracharya University of Sanskrit’s Payyanur regional centre.
Fired up by tragedy
In December 2020, a husband and wife self-immolated in Thiruvananthapuram. The fatal incident unfolded as Rajan and Ambili, who were facing eviction from their home, doused themselves with petrol. In the chaos of the moment, when authorities attempted to intervene by grabbing hold of their lighter, the situation escalated, resulting in the blaze being set off.
On realising that the intervention had been bungled, Shilparaj filed an RTI with the state police and fire and rescue services headquarters requesting the playbook on how officers deal with such emergencies. He submitted a report to the DG of fire and rescue services requesting that training be provided to civil defence members to deal with suicide attempts. “My suggestions were implemented,” points out Shilparaj, who is himself a member of the civil defence corps of Thrikaripur fire station.
In 2022, Shilparaj filed an RTI with the Kasaragod district police chief’s office for information on the response time of officers in the district. Based on the replay, he filed a petition with the home ministry, attaching data collected from 2019 to 2024, including details of law enforcement’s response times in countries such as Finland and America. Based on the petition, the home ministry replied that 100 new vehicles have been cleared for the department.
In 2024, he filed an application with the local self-government department (LSGD) directorate regarding availability of streetlights in every panchayat of the state. His report, based on the response, was submitted to department officials, including the minister and the additional chief secretary.
In a recent action, Shilparaj requested, through a petition to the central and state election commissions, that special software be made available to avoid voting irregularities. “I expect a positive response,” he added.
Commendations
In 2021, he received a letter of appreciation from the crime branch DySP of Kasaragod for his efforts in combating crime in society. Earlier this year, the Palakkad chapter of the Kerala Association of Professional Social Workers (KAPS) named him its best social work student.

RTI reveals shocking statistics, 5338 girls reported missing in past five years

Organiser Weekly: Kerala: Tuesday, 23 April 2024.
An inquiry made through the Right to Information (RTI) has brought to light a concerning trend in Kerala. According to the RTI reply dated April 12, 2024, received from the State Public Information Officer at the State Crime Records Bureau in Thiruvananthapuram, a staggering 5338 cases of missing girls were registered in the state over a span of five years, from January 2019 to December 31, 2023
A startling revelation was made in the ‘Right to Information’ reply which brought to light that 5338 girls’ missing cases were registered in Kerala in a matter of five years January 2019 to December 31, 2023. The reply is dated April 12, 2024, and is from the State Public Information Officer, State Crime Records Bureau, Thiruvananthapuram. It was in connection with an inquiry from Girish Bharadwaj, 11 Asthithwa, Railway Parallel Road, Sheshadripura, Bengalooru.
5338 is a shocking and disturbing figure. Non-BJP politicians and their parties are reluctant to discuss matters like this. All want to downplay it. Because they are afraid, the discussion will end up in “Love Jihad” to a certain extent. They are afraid, the issue will draw people’s attention to the issue of several girls who were trapped in Love Jihad and taken to Afghanistan and Syria for recruitment to ISIS. They are afraid, it will vindicate the anxieties the RSS, BJP, and other Hindu and nationalist forces have been raising for the last several years. They are afraid, it will once again justify the “Kerala Story.”
Both the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) are always in tight competition for minority vote bank. So, they always evade this sort of discussion. They are still not ready to accept that the girls trapped and taken to Afghanistan and Syria are the victims of Love Jihad.
It has been hardly a few days since the daughter of a prominent Congress leader in Karnataka was stabbed to death by her classmate Fias. Congress leader Niranjan Hiremath alleged that his daughter Neha Hiremeth was killed due to Love Jihad. He raised this allegation despite the Congress-led government’s argument that the incident has nothing to do with Love Jihad. ABVP has launched an agitation, stating that it was Love Jihad. ABVP had demanded that the culprit be given the most severe punishment for the crime he committed. The incident speaks out that the’matter’ is of pan-Bharat nature.
The matter becomes serious when people are given the understanding that missing cases are not investigated properly. If the investigation is not carried out properly, the missing ones will obviously not be recovered.
No doubt, no Hindu organisation has so far come forward with the allegation that all 5338 missing girls are trapped in Love Jihad. But, still, the question remains, ‘What happened to them’? Government cannot evade the responsibility of a fast, proper, impartial and most efficient investigation into the matter.

Modi govt's flagship insurance schemes, or daylight robbery? : Hemant Gairola

National Herald: National: Tuesday, 23 April 2024.
To meet targets for various PM-prefixed schemes, banks have been enrolling customers and debiting accounts without their consent

For more than a year, 26-year-old engineering graduate Kundan Kumar of Saran district in Bihar has been trying to unsubscribe from an insurance policy he did not buy in the first place. Without his consent, Kumar’s bank deducted money from his account and enrolled him in the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY).
Days after his account was debited on 29 December 2022, an upset Kumar sought a copy of his insurance application form from the bank under the RTI Act. On 2 February 2023, his bank, the State Bank of India (SBI), replied, "Application form not found for the aforesaid insurance."
But the bank has not granted him a refund of payments towards this unsolicited insurance policy.
Like him, many across the country have protested unauthorised debits from their bank accounts for the Central government’s insurance schemes. Apart from life insurance, banks have also been enrolling customers without consent in the accident insurance scheme — the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) — without their consent. These complaints also extend to the Centre’s micro-pension scheme, called Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
While Kumar was enrolled in PMJJBY without his consent, his mother was enrolled in APY, he said. Once a customer is subscribed to these schemes, the fees are deducted automatically from his/her/their accounts annually.
While the PMJJBY premium is Rs 436 a year, PMSBY costs Rs 20 a year. PMJJBY provides a cover of Rs 2 lakh to a policyholder’s nominee in the event of death due to any reason. The PMSBY provides Rs 2 lakh in case of death in an accident, and Rs 1 lakh in case of severe injury.
The APY offers a monthly pension of up to Rs 5,000 after the age of 60. The monthly fee depends on the pension plan selected.

Often, those enrolled in insurance schemes without their consent are not aware that they are paying a premium for an insurance cover. This prevents family members from availing the schemes’ benefits, rendering their premium payments, unauthorised to begin with, futile.
Policy certificates of such customers, accessed by this reporter, showed bogus nominees. This also restricts policyholders’ families from availing the benefits of the schemes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched these low-cost welfare schemes in May 2015 to provide financial security to the poor. From the beginning, banks faced allegations of often enrolling customers in these schemes through fraudulent means, apparently under pressure from the government to achieve the targets.
New evidence reveals that this malpractice has since been institutionalised, with regional, zonal and even head offices executing fraud and forcing branches to conceal them.
Huge targets, quick fixes
The quickest albeit illegal way to enrol a high number of customers appears to be what is called “bulk activation”, where banks can upload and approve many customers’ details into the insurance-activation portal all at once using a spreadsheet or another bulk upload file.
No matter how steep the targets, they can be met with just a few clicks as long as the bank does not mind enrolling customers without their knowledge.
In August 2023, an officers’ union of the government-run UCO Bank sent a letter to its managing director and CEO, alleging that account holders in Dehradun were illegally enrolled in these government schemes from the back-end by the head office. Article 14 has a copy of the letter.
It said that in July-end, the zonal office in Dehradun sent the branches a list of accounts eligible for PMJJBY and PMSBY, and asked the branches to activate the schemes in all of them. Many branch managers refused to do so without customers’ consent, only for the head office to do this from the back-end.

The union’s letter pointed out that complaints from customers began to trickle in, and branch managers requested their zonal office to issue refunds. But the zonal office instead instructed them to collect and backdate enrolment forms.
An employee of the government-owned Canara Bank told this reporter that a similar story unfolded in Rajasthan in June 2023. He said regional offices sent branches lists of customers eligible for PMJJBY.
This employee shared screenshots of the bank’s content management system, showing that PMJJBY was activated on customers’ accounts in bulk by an assistant general manager posted in a regional office.
One SBI employee from the bank’s Delhi circle shared screenshots of the bank’s de facto official WhatsApp group in October 2023. The WhatsApp screenshots sent by the SBI employee showed bank employees being given instructions on how to initiate bulk enrolment of customers in PMSBY. This employee also shared screenshots of the bulk upload files.
A Gujarat resident told this reporter that his wife’s SBI account was auto-debited for PMJJBY on 19 January 2024. He said when she went to her branch to seek an explanation, the branch told her that many accounts were debited because of a technical error and now the bank was offering a full refund. To avail her refund, the bank asked her to fill a form.
This customer’s husband told this reporter that he spoke with the branch manager, who apologetically said he had received a list of accounts from his regional office and had no option but to debit them to save his job.
Bank of Baroda, the second-largest government bank after SBI, also uses bulk activation to meet enrolment targets without customers’ consent.
One Bank of Baroda employee from Karnataka shared screenshots of emails from December 2022 and February 2023, bearing details of eligible customers and instructing branches to enrol them in the PMJJBY and PMSBY via bulk activation. This employee said he had to do bulk enrolment of customers in the PMSBY without their consent when his deputy regional manager asked him to do so and provided him with the list.
In response to Article 14’s queries about enrolling customers without their consent, UCO Bank’s assistant general manager of the financial inclusion department, Joydeep Nandy, sent the following reply: "In our communication to our zonal offices, we clearly mentioned that the customers should be contacted and persuaded to get enrolled under PMJJBY and PMSBY. We also mentioned that due procedure of PMJJBY and PMSBY enrolments like obtaining consent forms, nominee details etc. should be followed by branches before enrolment of customers."
Nandy said a bulk enrolment menu was especially devised. “In light of the above, we have not followed any unethical practice while enrolling customers under both the schemes.” The bank’s customers, however, have been stating otherwise.
A January 2024 report in MoneyControl showed that the SBI was aware of the problem and had issued a letter in this regard, instructing branches to desist from "such unethical practices".
Forensic accountant and certified fraud examiner Nikhil Parulkar said the problem of debiting customers’ accounts without permission for one or the other scheme is a common ailment, called predatory sales practices in forensic audit parlance.
He said such scenarios are prevalent in the banking sector, including private sector banks, but aren’t exposed until a whistleblower comes forth.
Canara Bank’s cover-up
Canara Bank underwent an audit in December 2023 after an article in the Economic Times highlighted online complaints about unauthorised debits for the PMJJBY and PMSBY.
The bank’s employee grapevine was abuzz with news about this audit. Purportedly, the government asked the bank’s leadership to look into the allegations. Subsequently, branches were asked to examine customers’ application forms for these schemes. Since many customers were enrolled without consent via bulk activation, their forms did not exist.
An employee said his regional manager the very official who had enrolled customers without permission in bulk advised branch heads during a video conference to give a fake confirmation that the forms were all in place. The employee said his branch did just that. Eventually, the claim was accepted at face value and not cross-checked.
An email sent by a regional office of the bank to employees on 29 December 2023 read: "All employees are advised to ensure that the consent forms in respect of PMJJBY and PMSBY enrolled accounts are obtained and placed on records. [The] inspection wing has given a timeline up to 30.12.2023 to ensure that the consent letter from customers has been obtained invariably and kept on record."
A former branch manager of Canara Bank posted in central India recounted that a couple of years ago, his regional office enrolled 50-odd customers of his branch into the PMJJBY from the back-end, without consent. He said that to save himself from any trouble later on, he obtained application forms from most of the customers over the next few weeks.
For the aforesaid audit that followed the ET report, Canara Bank employees were required to pull off a similar feat, in one day.
Pressure from the top
For this pressure, bank employees do not blame their management as much as they blame the department of financial services (DFS), which is in charge of key initiatives of the government concerning the banking and insurance sectors.
For the PMJJBY, PMSBY, APY and other government schemes, the DFS sets enrolment targets for banks. Bank employees said top executives are berated by the DFS and threatened with consequences for failing to meet the targets.
A recent letter issued by Punjab & Sind Bank to a zonal manager illustrates this top-down pressure. The letter cites the DFS’s order about these insurance and pension schemes, notes that the zonal manager’s area is lagging behind and ends with a warning: the targets are to be “mandatorily achieved” to avoid “any unpleasant action”.
The DFS refused to part with copies of its letters/circulars to banks regarding enrolment under the PMJJBY, PMSBY and APY when asked for the same through RTI.
As of 26 April 2023, more than 16.19 crore people stood subscribed to the PMJJBY and more than 34.18 crore stood subscribed to PMSBY.
(Hemant Gairola is an independent journalist based in Dehradun. The full version of this report can be accessed here)

No information available on President Murmu returning files for reconsideration, Rashtrapati Bhavan says in RTI response

The Hindu: Chennai: Tuesday, 23 April 2024.
On files pertaining to States and Union Territories, the Director of Rashtrapati Bhavan said the RTI Act application was being transferred online to the Ministry of Home Affairs

The Rashtrapati Bhavan has said that no information is available on President Droupadi Murmu returning any decision taken by the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers for reconsideration.
The case pertains to a petition filed by Raj Kapil of Tamil Nadu under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 seeking to know the number of times Ms. Murmu had returned a decision or decisions taken by the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, the Cabinet, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), the Parliament, Union Ministries, and Union agencies. He also wanted to know the number of times the President had returned for reconsideration a decision taken by a State or Union Territory Legislature.
Shivendra Chaturvedi, Director, Rashtrapati Bhavan in his reply said no such information was available as regards any decision or decisions taken by the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, the Cabinet, the Parliament, the ACC, etc., being returned for reconsideration.
On the files pertaining to States and Union Territories, he said the RTI Act application was being transferred online to the “Ministry of Home Affairs being the nodal Ministry and custodian of records in the matter”. He added that the petitioner could file an appeal under Section 19(1) of the Act within a month before the Officer on Special Duty/Appellate Authority in case he was aggrieved or not satisfied with the reply.
Mr. Kapil, a lecturer in criminology, said he was surprised at the response from the Rashtrapati Bhavan since it had neither confirmed nor denied the President of India had returned any decision of the Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, etc., for reconsideration. Even if the Union Home Ministry was the custodian of the files and decisions pertaining to the States and Union Territories, on what basis was the President’s Secretariat not sharing the information requested under the RTI Act, he wondered.
“Merely saying that no such information is available is an incomplete and misleading reply. How can Rashtrapati Bhavan not have such data, which is crucial not only in the constitutional functioning of the President but in ensuring accountability and transparency in the system?” he said.
Earlier instance
A similar response was given by the Rashtrapati Bhavan when a student from Chennai sought to know under the RTI Act the number of times the then President Ram Nath Kovind had returned a decision of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. When the student, Yuvan Mithran, filed an appeal before the First Appellate Authority, he received a reply stating that information called for was not available with the President’s Secretariat.
Ms. Murmu was sworn in as the 15th President of India on July 25, 2022.

‘No data available on President returning files for reconsideration’: S. VIJAY KUMAR

The Hindu: Chennai: Tuesday, 23 April 2024.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan has said that no information is available on President Droupadi Murmu returning any decision taken by the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers for reconsideration.
The case pertains to a petition filed by Raj Kapil of Tamil Nadu under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 seeking to know the number of times Ms. Murmu had returned a decision or decisions taken by the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, the Cabinet, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), the Parliament, Union Ministries, and Union agencies. He also wanted to know the number of times the President had returned for reconsideration a decision taken by a State or Union Territory Legislature.
Shivendra Chaturvedi, Director, Rashtrapati Bhavan in his reply said no such information was available as regards any decision or decisions taken by the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, the Cabinet, the Parliament, the ACC, etc., being returned for reconsideration.
On the files pertaining to States and Union Territories, he said the RTI Act application was being transferred online to the “Ministry of Home Affairs being the nodal Ministry and custodian of records in the matter”. He added that the petitioner could file an appeal under Section 19(1) of the Act within a month before the Officer on Special Duty/Appellate Authority in case he was aggrieved or not satisfied with the reply.
Mr. Kapil, a lecturer in criminology, said he was surprised at the response from the Rashtrapati Bhavan since it had neither confirmed nor denied the President of India had returned any decision of the Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, etc., for reconsideration. Even if the Union Home Ministry was the custodian of the files and decisions pertaining to the States and Union Territories, on what basis was the President’s Secretariat not sharing the information requested under the RTI Act, he wondered.
“Merely saying that no such information is available is an incomplete and misleading reply. How can Rashtrapati Bhavan not have such data, which is crucial not only in the constitutional functioning of the President but in ensuring accountability and transparency in the system?” he said.
A similar response was given by the Rashtrapati Bhavan when a student from Chennai sought to know under the RTI Act the number of times the then President Ram Nath Kovind had returned a decision of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.

Metro-1 R-Infra buyout: MMRDA denies info on valuation report under RTI

Times of India: Mumbai: Monday, 22 April 2024.
Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has refused to disclose details under RTI of the report of an independent study group based on which the state cabinet last month approved the takeover of R-Infra’s 74% stake in Metro-1 for Rs 4,000 crore.
“MMRDA maintained that these documents cannot be made available as they are commercial in nature. This is unacceptable as the public has the right to know the contents of the report, which formed the basis of greenlighting the acquisition of Metro-1’s 74% stake,” said RTI activist Anil Galgali, who had sought a copy of the report prepared by the study group headed by former chief secretary Johny Joseph.
The state cabinet had on March 11 cleared the purchase of Anil Ambani-owned R-Infra’s 74% stake by MMRDA. TOI had previously reported that the Johny Joseph-headed study group had valued the stake at Rs 4,000 crore. The buyout by MMRDA would allow R-Infra to exit the project four years after it had asked govt to purchase its stake in 2020, following losses incurred during the pandemic.
MMRDA is the nodal authority implementing the 337km Metro network in Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The 11.4km Metro-1 line, the oldest such in the city, runs through Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar and has a daily ridership of 4.5 lakh. It is the only corridor executed through a public-private partnership. It is run by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) Mumbai Metro One Private Ltd (MMOPL). MMRDA has a 26% stake in the SPV, while R-Infra holds 74%. After the buyout, MMRDA will completely own MMOPL.
Galgali said MMRDA had in Jan 2023, in response to another RTI application from him, said that the acquisition was in progress and information on the takeover would be provided once the process was completed.
According to the documents provided by MMRDA to the activist under RTI Act in 2023, R-Infra had requested the nodal agency in July 2020 to acquire MMOPL by making an offer for its 74% equity. The documents showed that as per a letter written in June 2020, MMOPL had invested Rs 2,969 crore, including debt and equity. The total cost of the project was Rs 2,356 crore.