Streamlining the working of Nodal Ministry.

M.V.Ruparelia, A 503 Rashmi Utsav, Near Jangid Estate & Vijay Park, Mira Road (East),

 Dist. Thane-Maharashtra-401107. E/Mail: mvrup@yahoo.co.in  M.09821732855.

To                                                               Date: 5-10-12.

Shri Anil Goswami,

Secretary (Welfare), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment,

 Government of India, Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi-110 001.

Sub: Streamlining the Working Of Nodal Ministry.

Ref: Our Welcome letter dt 11-7-12.

1.      In our above letter dt 11-7-12 (copy enclosed as Annexure A), we had brought out very important aspects of working of Nodal Ministry requiring your personal guidance, initiatives and actions for improving the working for welfare of your Elders and we are sure you might have taken prompt action on all aspects brought to your personal notice. We shall be highly obliged, if detailed reply of action taken or proposed to be taken is advised in terms of para 66 of Office Manual (copy of extract enclosed as Annexure B).

2.      We are thankful for giving Vayoshreshtha Sanman-Institution Award to our All-India Senior Citizens Confederation (AISCCON) on International Day of Older Persons, 2012. We request that this grass roué level Confederation of Senior Citizens having affiliated Federations of Senior Citizens in all States and UTs of the Country may please be recognized for continuous negotiations/dialogues/communications, as laid down in para 72 of NPOP, 99. There is absolute absence and indifference from Nodal Ministry about negotiations/dialogues/communications with senior citizens & their Associations!! We have been requesting for such recognition and separate Web Site for Senior Citizens since 2-8-10 vide our letter to Hon Minister by name, sent by Post, E/Mail to Minister, Director (Ageing) and again by RTI Application followed by 13 communications by way of reminders, RTI Application, 1^st Appeal, IInd Appeal etc but no action is taken in this important matter of recognizing our grass route level Confederation for continuous negotiations/dialogues/communications, as laid down in para 72 of NPOP, 99 even after more than 2 years.

3.      We are sorry to bring to your notice that we do not get proper information from Nodal Ministry, though one of the main requirement of NPOP, 99 is wide dissemination of information to Senior Citizens and their Organizations, so that they can function as watchdog, energize continuing action, mobilize public opinion and generate pressure for implementation of Policy, as laid down in para 91. We have written the following letters to Hon Minister on important aspects of Policy but not a single letter to Minister is replied.

i)                    27-7-10.        For taking action on various specific provisions of Policies on eve of All India Protest Day on 16-8-10.

ii)                  15-4-10.        For special action to give publicity to Integrated Programmes.

iii)                2-8-10.           For recognition of Associations & Separate Web Site.

iv)                15-1-11         For making Budget Provisions and early implementation of certain paras of NPOP, 99.

v)                  12-8-11.        For taking action on various specific provisions of Policies on eve of All India Solidarity Day on 16-8-11. PMO forwarded the Memorandum sent to them to Nodal Ministry under their no. 14/3/2011-PMP/3/319591 dt 5-9-11 to give reply for all issues to us.

vi)                11-8-12.   Memorandum for taking action on various specific provisions of Policies on eve of All India Protest Day on 16-8-12.

These letters were sent by Post/Speed Post & E/Mails with copy by E/Mail to Director, joint secretary, secretary  etc but are stated to have not been received in Director`s Office and he will not take action on copy received by him through E/Mail, unless original with instructions are not received from Minister`s Secretariat.

4.      On getting some news that Hon. Minister of S.J.& E. has issued some instructions to all States/UTs to observe International Day of Older Persons in befitting manner at State/District level and decided to have Safety of Senior Citizens as Theme of this World Day, we requested the Director (SD) by E/Mail on 16-8-12 followed by reminder E/Mail on 14-9-12 to send us a copy of this directive, so that we can advise our 7 lakh members through our Federations/Associations about Theme of this year etc and to participate and celebrate this Day in befitting manner but requested letter was not given. We also requested on 17-8-12 followed by reminder on 14-9-12 to give updated information in terms of para 71 of NPOP about facilities and concessions given by Government, so that same can be conveyed to all members on the eve of World Day but no information is given. We enclose a list of 75 communications for 11 matters (Annexure C) in which requested information is not being given. Some of the communications were brought to the notice of Joint Secretary also. We have sent a Note (Copy enclosed as annexure D) to both about various provisions of NPOP not yet implemented under our E/Mail dt  28-8-12.      

5.      We shall be thankful, if position is improved keeping in view the position of working of Pensioners` Nodal Ministry brought out in our letter dt 11-7-12 to you. 

Thanking You, 

Yours Sincerely,

(M.V.Ruparelia)

  Annexure C: Statement showing the position of 11 cases in which Requested Information is not being given:

1. Integrated Programmes: Letter dt 15-4-10 to Minister by name not replied. Full Information requested in RTI Application dt 15-4-10 followed by Ist Appeal dt 26-5-10 and IInd Appeal dt 12-8-10 not given. Information given under letter no. 15-37 (6) 2007-08/AG dt 28-9-10 not being full information, request with details was made to give proper information in my letter dt 8-10-10 followed by letters dt 14-2-11, 13-4-11, 3-6-11, 16-6-11, 22-7-11, 20-10-11, 9-1-12, 31-1-12, 20-3-12, 9-4-12, 12-5-12, 15-6-12, 25-8-12.   Total Communications: 18;  Period: More than 2 years.

2. Review Committee: Application dt 21-7-10, Ist Appeal dt 11-9-10, IInd Appeal dt 16-11-10. Incomplete information given under no. 15-37 (6) 07-08/AG dt 4-4-11, as explained in my letter dt 9-4-11 followed by reminders dt 13-4-11, 3-6-11, 16-6-11, 22-7-11, CIC`s Orders no. CIC/SS/C/2011/000806 dt 14-12-11, followed by my letters dt 9-1-12, 12-5-12, 3-8-12, 17-9-12.  Total Communications: 14.   Period: More than 2 years.

3.Recognition of All-India basis Associations of Senior Citizens: Letter dt 2-8-10 to Minister by name not replied. Application dt 4-11-10, Ist Appeal dt 16-12-10. Incomplete Information given under no. 15-37 (6) 2007-08/AG dt 4-4-11, as explained in my letter dt 13-4-11, followed by letters dt 15-6-11, 22-7-11, 20-10-11, 9-1-12, 31-1-12, 19-3-12, 9-4-12, 12-5-12, 3-8-12.  Total Communications: 13.   Period: More than 2 years.

4.Madrid Declaration Progress Report: Application dt 5-8-11, Ist Appeal dt 27-9-11. AA`s orders no. Appeal/81/FC & RTI/2011 dt 16-12-11 to give full information not complied, though reminded on 31-1-12, 20-3-12, 12-5-12, 15-6-12, 1-9-12.Total Communications: 7. Period: More than 1 year.

5.Memorandum dt 12-8-11 on All-India Solidarity Day of Senior Citizens on 16-8-11 to Prime Minister and separately to Minister of Social Justice not replied. PMO asked Nodal Ministry to give reply to us under their no. 14/3/2011-PMP/3/319591 dt 5-9-11. No reply. Application dt 9-1-12, 1^st Appeal dt 7-4-12, IInd Appeal dt 8-7-12. Incomplete information given under no. 15-37 (51)/2011-12-AG II dt 26-3-12. AA has not given proper Speaking Order, though requested in our letter dt 15-8-12. Total Communications: 7. Period: More than one year. Rail Ministry has not given any information about items pertaining to them.

6.Letter dt 15-1-11 to Minister by name sent by Registered Post & E/Mail is not replied on plea that it is not received from Minister`s Secretariat and the dealing Director will not take action unless it is received from the Secretariat, though he had received copy by E/Mail on 15-1-11 and again with RTI Application on 10-3-11. Ist Appeal dt 12-5-11,  IInd Appeal dt 9-7-11, Letters dt 18-3-12, 9-4-12, 15-6-12, 8-7-12, 18-9-12. Total communications: 9. Period: More than 1 ½ years.

7.Information about working of Bureau for Senior Citizens with details of staff etc was requested under RTI Application dt 12-7-12 but not given. AA in compliance to 1^st Appeal dt 25-8-12 asked CPIO & Director to give information but not given yet. Total Communications: 2. Period: More than 2 ½ months.  

8.Letter dt 11-7-12 to new secretary of Nodal Ministry. No reply even after more than 2  ½ months.

9.We requested a copy of important circular issued by Hon Minister somewhere on 5-8-12 to all State/UT Chief Ministers for celebrating International Day of Older Persons with theme of Safety of Senior Citizens etc under our E/Mail dt 16-8-12 to inform all our Associations about theme etc. This is not sent inspite of reminder on 14-9-12. Total Communications: 2 Period: More than 1 ½ months.

10.We requested to give up-to-date information about Facilities & Concessions given by all Stake Holders to Senior Citizens to give to our Association on the eve of International Day on 1-10-12, as provided in para 71 of NPOP,99 under our E/Mail dt 17-8-12 but not given inspite of reminder on 14-9-12. Total Communications: 2. Period: More than 1 ½ months. 

11.Our Memorandum dt 11-8-12 on the eve of All IndiaSenior Citizens Protest Day on 16-8-12. No reply even after 1 ½ months.

 (Total Communications: 75).

Annexure B:

Extracts of para 66 of the Manual of Office Procedure.  

66. Prompt response to letters received-

(1) Each communication received from the Member of Parliament, a member of public, a recognized Association  or a Public Body will be acknowledged within 15 days, followed by a reply within 15 days of acknowledge sent.

(2) Where (i) delay is anticipated in sending final reply or (ii) information has to be obtained from another Ministry or another office, an interim reply will be sent within a month (from date of receipt) indicating the possible date by which a final reply can be given.

(3) If any such communication is wrongly addressed to a department, it will be transferred promptly (within a week) to appropriate department under intimation to the party concerned.

(4) Where the request of a member of Public can not be acceded to for any reason, reasons for not acceding to such a request should be given.

(5) As far as possible, requests from members of Public, should be looked at from the user’s point of view and not solely from the point of view of what may be administratively convenient.