PPP projects initiated by government of India in health sector sought under RTI

Background        

The appellant sought details of public partnership projects initiated by government of India through Ministry of Health & Family Welfare or any other agency related to health sector such as file noting of each project where sanction was awarded, details of promoters, consultancy assignments, details of members of the committee which took decision to award the consultancy assignments etc. The Public Information Officer (PIO) informed the appellant that no such project has been initiated by the government of India through Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in health sector. Ministry of Finance is in the process of formulating the PPP policy for the social sector viz. Education & Health. For some of the queries, the PIO transferred the application to the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) for providing the requisite information.

Proceedings

During the hearing, the appellant pointed out that the PIO (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) had informed him that no such project has been initiated by Government of India but PHFI had admitted to have received Rs.65 Crore. The PIO of PHFI states that the term PPP has been loosely used and PHFI is not a PPP Project and Rs. 65 Crore has been given as grand-in-aid.

View of CIC

To resolve the confusion, the Central Information Commission (CIC) directed the PIO of the Ministry to send the appellant a copy of the letter and communication by which the Rs.65 Crore was given to PHFI. The Commission also directed the PIO, PHFI to send a copy of letter received by them in relation to Rs. 65 Crore from the Ministry.

Comments

The readers may recall that in an earlier order, the CIC had held PHFI is a public authority.

Citation: Mr. Kishan Lal Mittal v. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Health Insurance and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Public Health Foundation of India in Decision No. CIC/SG/A/2012/001237/19262