New Delhi: A recent RTI filing has uncovered that the Central Information Commission (CIC) spent over Rs 45 lakh on the annual convention held on December 10, 2024.
The event, which aimed to promote transparency and accountability, had incurred expenses that included hiring vehicles, purchasing plants, woollen shawls, jute bags, mementos, and RTI books. As per the reply, Rs 15,32,762 was spent on catering, while Rs 12,21,128 was spent on logistic support. The total amount spent was Rs 45,11,749.
Details of expenses incurred by the CIC for two-day annual convention held in December 2024.
Details of expenses incurred by the CIC for two-day annual convention held in December 2024.
The RTI application was filed on December 16 by retired naval officer and activist Commodore Lokesh K. Batra, who sought to uncover the expenses incurred by the CIC for the convention. In response, the CIC revealed that all the expenses were met from the budgetary allocation, with no separate financial support provided by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
“Expenditure for organising Annual Convention/Seminars/Events in the Central Information Commission for financial year 2023-24 and Financial year 2024-25 is met from the Annual Budget allocated to CIC by DoPT. No separate financial support is provided by the DoPT for organising Annual Convention/Seminars/Events,” read the reply.
A previous RTI query filed by Batra in February, 2015 inquiring about the total expenditure details for organising ‘Annual RTI conventions/events’ for the financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14 revealed that Rs 12.06 lakh was incurred for the annual conventions/events during 2012-13 and Rs 14.16 lakh was spent on the same in 2013-14. However, the commission had suggested that “no “Record” for proceedings of the meeting was maintained since it is an internal one day meet of the Commission in Commission’s office itself.”
This revelation has raised questions about the necessity of such extravagant expenses for events aimed at promoting transparency and accountability.
