Central Information Commission
Mr. Ramesh Chand Yadav vs Ministry Of Home Affairs on 21 April, 2010
Central Information Commission
Room No. 5, Club Building, Near Post Office
Old J.N.U. Campus, New Delhi - 110067
Tel No: 26161997
Case No. CIC/WB/C/2009/000330
Name of Complainant : Sh. Ramesh Chand Yadav
Name of Respondent : M/o Home Affairs
Background
Sh. Ramesh Chand Yadav, the Complainant, filed an RTI Application addressed to Jt. Secretary and Central Relief Commissioner, M/o Home Affairs, seeking information about declaration of a specific calamity as a National Calamity and information on the number of times Bhadoi, Janpad, has been declared calamity-affected between the years 2000-2008 and funds received for the purpose from the Central Govt. during this period. Sh. Dev Kumar, CPIO, Director (NDM- I), M/o Home Affairs vide his letter dated 24.10.2008 replied to the Appellant, informing therein that successive Finance Commissions have not specified any criteria for declaring calamites of rare severity. Information was also provided on the Administration of the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF), formulated by the Ministry of Finance based on the recommendations of the 12th Finance Commission and the manner of release of allocations from the NCCF to Calamity Relief Fund (CRF), which is operated at the State Governments Level. The complainant was informed that in the wake of natural disasters, the State governments are primarily responsible for undertaking necessary relief measures. The Appellant has filed the present complaint before the Commission, submitting therein that he has been provided misleading information by the CPIO.
2. The matter was heard on 21.04.2010.
3. The Appellant was not present.
4. Sh. Om Prakash, Technical Officer and Sh. R. R. Dubey, UDC represented the Respondent Public Authority.
During the hearing the Respondent submit that the undated RTI request of the Sh. Ramesh Chand Yadav, the Appellant was received by them on 22.10.2008 and was replied to on 24.10.2008, followed by the Hindi version on 6.11.2008. He submitted that the allocation in the CRF of the State is made for the entire State and it is for the State Government concerned to release the requisite funds from the CRF to various affected districts / blocks in the wake of a natural calamity, in accordance with the magnitude of the situation. The State Governments are required to take appropriate action in the matter, in conformity with the norms of CRF, within available funds in the CRF account of the State.
Sh. Ramesh Chand Yadav, in his complaint before the Commission is not specific about what he considers as misleading information, provided to him. The Commission, after hearing the Respondent and on examination of the relevant documents on file finds that requisite reply has been provided to the Complainant by the CPIO.
With this order, the matter is disposed of accordingly.
(Sushma Singh) Information Commissioner 21.04.2010