Respondent: note sheet excluding ICICI Bank from the list of sponsors of the RRBs regarding amalgamation of geographically contiguous RRBs has been provided - CIC: provide a copy of the Notification of the amalgamation of Mewar Anchalik Grameen Bank
21 Feb, 2014Information relating to the Amalgamation of geographically contiguous RRBs within a State - Appellant: reasons for excluding the ICICI Bank (Earlier Bank of Bikaner) from the list of sponsors of the RRBs was not provided to him - Respondent: the note sheet relating to the exclusion of the ICICI Bank from the list of sponsors of the RRBs has been provided and no further information is available - CIC: provide a copy of the Notification of the amalgamation of Mewar Anchalik Grameen Bank
Facts:
1. The appellant Shri Kuldeep Samar has submitted RTI application dated 26 November 2012 before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), Department of Financial Services, New Delhi; seeking information relating to the Amalgamation of geographically contiguous RRBs within a State through total of 04 points.
2. Vide CPIO order dated 28 December 2012, CPIO furnished the requisite information pointwise to the appellant.
3. Not satisfied by the CPIO’s reply, the appellant preferred appeal to the First Appellate Authority (FAA) dated 10 January 2013.
4. Vide FAA order dated 03 February 2013, the FAA upheld the CPIO’s decision and directed to provide the certified copies of the information which have been provided in point no.02.
5. Being aggrieved and not satisfied with the above response of the public authority, the appellant preferred second appeal before the Commission.
6. The matter was heard today via videoconferencing. The appellant Shri Kuldeep Samar was present and made submissions from Udaipur. The respondent Shri Suresh, CPIO/ Senior Research officer was present at the hearing and made submissions in person.
7. The appellant submitted that the reasons for excluding the ICICI Bank (Earlier Bank of Bikaner) from the list of sponsors of the RRBs (Regional Rural banks) was not provided to him by the public authority. 8. The respondent submitted that 3 RRBs were proposed to be amalgamated with three sponsors namely, UCO Bank, SBI (Bikaner and Jaipur) and ICICI bank. However, subsequently ICICI opted out of the sponsorship and the RRB was created with the UCO Bank and SBI (Bikaner and Jaipur) only. It was also submitted that the note sheet relating to the exclusion of the ICICI Bank (Earlier Bank of Bikaner) from the list of sponsors of the RRBs (Regional Rural banks) has been provided to the appellant. No additional information is available on the issue.
9. The respondents also submitted that the decision to amalgamate the Mewar Anchalik Grameen Bank and Marudhara Gramin Bank has been taken by the Department of Financial Services and its Official Notification should come by 1 April 2014. The respondent HAD also provided an opportunity to the appellant for file inspecting the relevant file.
Decision Notice
10. The Commission is satisfied with the CPIOs submissions that the information as available has been provided to the appellant. However, the CPIO is directed to provide a copy of the Notification of the amalgamation of Mewar Anchalik Grameen Bank as mentioned at the hearing within one week of its issue.
11. The appellant is free to approach the suitable forum for grievance, if any.
(Manjula Prasher)
Information Commissioner
Citation: Shri Kuldeep Samar v. M/o Finance, Dept. of Financial Services in Appeal: No. CIC/DS/A/2013/000521/MP