'Will monitor MP, MLA spendings'

Residents to keep tab of funds through display boards: CIC order

Scores of citizens across Delhi committed to "monitor" their respective areas by putting up of boards in Hindi describing how and on what projects were funds of elected members spent.

HT Image

As reported by HT in March first week, information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi had directed Delhi’s chief secretary and MCD commissioner to put up boards in every ward giving details of funds available for local area development (LAD) and how they were spent by the councillors or the elected members of assembly. The commissioner had given March 15 deadline.

However, stating “it is very difficult to complete such a huge task in short time, Delhi government asked for two months’ time. MCD has not given any reply.

More than 300 people, under the umbrella of Satark Nagarik Sangathan (SNS), had drawn the CIC’s attention in this regard. At a public meeting on Saturday, people from different parts of the city got together to discuss how to effectively ensure that boards are put up by authorities.

"One particular road was to be built in our area and we were told R2 crore has been spent for it. But the road was nowhere to be seen. Boards like this would definitely help pinpointing where and how much money has been spent,” said Arvind Kumar from NGO Aradhya, which works in Rajiv Nagar from Janakpuri area as he committed to monitor boards in half a dozen wards.

"Similarly, many people from different groups committed to monitoring boards in about 120 wards,” said Sangathan’s Anjali Bhardwaj and added, they would have similar meeting for plush colonies of south Delhi too.
Earlier, Gandhi underscored the importance of section 4 of the Right to Information Act (RTI), which entails suo moto declarations by public authorities and said, “Such boards in Hindi are part of the section 4 declaration."