Sir,
This is in reference to Time to implement RTI law in JKB by Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat( Daily Excelsior June 12).
Jammu and Kashmir Bank is the institution in which people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have been engaged wilfully or by forced entry by the Government. People of J&K are required to have accounts, obtain loans with subsidy, withdraw salaries and almost every other transaction through J&K Bank only. Now when they bank is earning say Rs 50 for every power bill we pay at its branch, it becomes mandatory for pro-transparency and pro-accountability conscious citizen to ask where this Rs 50 go? Question is not why they earn Rs 50 but how this public money is utilized and that is how we should live in a real democracy.
Thanks to Governor Satya Pal Malik and Chief Secretary who made it clear that JK Bank will be brought under RTI. But as the RTI activists we are still have a question, why the Government kept mum since Nov. 2018? Was there any other agenda behind this? Or were they trying to divert people from other issues? Whatever the reasons, atleast the people will have right to know and will move a step ahead towards transparency in appointments, NPAs etc.
Irfan Banka
Chairman
J&K RTI Foundation
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