Info body wants details of approved SRA projects online

The state information commission (SIC) in an order that could benefit a large number of people has directed the SRA chief to put details of all approved projects of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) online. It has also directed that it should include details of the survey report, and beneficiaries among others. The details have to be compiled by September 30 this year.

The order was given following a series of hearing after a complaint of non-implementation of section 4 and SIC order by the state information commissioner, Ajit Kumar Jain was lodged before his retirement on February 20. Jain in a landmark order had stated that co-operative housing societies of rehab component of SRA are public authorities. The order had also given directions to SRA to put up details of all such societies. While the society challenged the order, RTI activist complained that SRA had not implemented section 4 (suo moto disclosure of information by authority).

During the hearing, Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI) made a presentation on the information that can be useful to RTI applicants. The commission order states that SRA even considers suggestions by UDRI while implementing the disclosures. The commission order states that completion certificate (CC), Letter of Intent (LOI), will have to be mentioned on a real-time basis.

“There was a lot of mismatch between the information provided by LOI and CC. The SIC order has asked them to take recommendations from UDRI while reworking their website. The SRA should team-up with UDRI or should take the institute into confidence to avoid this. If SIC order is followed, there will be transparency, which in turn will benefit the beneficiaries in living in slums,” said Bhaskar Prabhu, an RTI activist who had complained about the lack of implementation of the order.

UDRI was not available for comment. Deepak Kapoor, SRA chief did not respond to message from DNA.