Ernakulam: The district administrations face criticism for its lack of transparency regarding the expenditure associated with the Nava Kerala Sadas program. The event, which saw the participation of the Chief Minister and ministers based on constituencies, lacked transparency in its financial dealings.
The district administration has failed to provide clear information regarding the amount spent on the event and the identities of its sponsors, even months after the Nava Kerala Sadas took place. Queries made under the RTI Act have not yielded satisfactory responses, with officials claiming ignorance about the expenditure and sponsorship arrangements.
In response to the lack of clarity surrounding expenditures, Right to Information activist MK Haridas has filed a petition demanding transparency regarding expenses incurred during the event in Ernakulam district. In accordance with Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, which mandates forwarding applications to relevant offices if the information is not known, the applicant sought to redirect the query to other departments.
However, the public information officer declined to comply with this requirement. The district administration’s response to inquiries about the expenditure incurred in Ernakulam district during the Nava Kerala Sadas event was equally confusing. They claimed that no funds were spent on the program and that no sponsorship contributions were received. The reply also states that the names of the sponsors are not known.
It has been revealed that 52,657 complaints were received during the Nava Kerala Sadas from various constituencies in the district. Out of these, 22,705 cases have been resolved, and 3133 cases have been partially resolved. Given the administration’s reluctance to provide clear answers, another request under the RTI Act has been filed by MK Haridas with the Chief Secretary’s office in pursuit of obtaining the necessary details.
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