By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, DEC 28, 2013: AT the peak of controversies relating to scams, the CBI probes were the focus for the media. And, soon came the question of autonomy for CBI. While discussing about the desirable extent of such autonomy, the DoP&T became the eye of the debate with the CBI Director insisting on bypassing this Ministry and reporting directly to the Minister. This incident and many more made 2013 very eventful for the DoP&T.

Even as some sorts of reforms were being introduced, a sort of cyclonic push came for the Government to pass the historic Lokpal Bill piloted by the DoP&T. With the Parliament passing the Bill, the institution of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in States will now be set up. The new law provides for a mechanism for dealing with complaints of corruption against public functionaries, including those in high places.

Guidelines for Suo Motu Disclosure by Central Government Ministries/Departments:

Government issued guidelines for suo motu disclosure by Central Government Ministries/Departments and Public Authorities there under. These guidelines are based on the recommendation of the Task Force set up by the Government for strengthening compliance with provisions for suo motu (proactive) disclosure as given in Section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005.

The following points:-

a) Suo motu disclosure of more items under Section 4 – This includes detailed guidelines on proactive disclosure of information related to procurement, public private partnerships, transfer policy and transfer orders, RTI applications received and their responses, CAG and PAC paras , citizens charter and Discretionary and Non – discretionary grants.

b) Guidelines for digital publication of proactive disclosure to ensure that the Government websites' disclosure is complete, easily accessible, technology and platform neutral and user friendly.

c) Detailing of few sub-clauses of Section 4 (1 )( b) of the RTI Act regarding publishing of information by the public authority viz “the procedure followed in the decision making process”, “norms set by the public authority for the discharge of its functions”, “the budget allocated to each of its agency” and “ details in respect of information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form”.

Grant of Family Pension to the family of missing employee/pensioner

Family pension is payable to the family of a Government employee or pensioner after his death. Difficulties in payment arise when a Government Servant or pensioner goes missing. Clarificatory instructions were issued by the Central Government for payment of benefits in such cases. According to these instructions, the family must lodge a report with the concerned police station and obtain a report from the police, that the employee or pensioner or family pensioner has not been traced despite all efforts made by them. The report may be a First Information Report or any other report such as a Daily Diary or General Diary Entry.

The family can apply for the grant of family pension, amount of salary due, leave encashment due and the amount of GPF and gratuity (whatever has not already been received) to the Head of Office of the organisation where the employee or pensioner had last served, six months after lodging of police report. The amount of salary due, leave encashment due and the amount of GPF will be paid to the family in the first instance as per the nominations made by the employee or pensioner on filling of a police report and submission of an indemnity bond.