Southern States - Kerala

Govt. rejects Oppn. Bill on right to information
By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MARCH 15. The Government opposed the Kerala Right to Information Bill sought to be moved by the deputy leader of the CPI(M) legislature party, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, in the Assembly on Friday.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, M. M. Hassan, told the House that though the Government agreed with the legislation in principle, a policy-decision was needed in the matter. Though the Centre and some other States had proposed similar legislations, those were yet to be passed. The Kerala Government too was considering such a legislation to ensure transparency in Government.

Mr. Balakrishnan said that Karnataka had passed two legislations to ensure transparency. The UDF had promised such a legislation in its election manifesto. However, the Government had taken no measures to introduce it even after 10 months. Hence, his Bill. A law was required to ensure transparency at a time when e-governance was becoming the order of the day. Transparency would help check corruption, he said.

Interestingly, the previous (LDF) Government had also opposed a right to information Bill when the then ruling front member, P. P. Sulaiman Rawther, sought to move it.

Earlier, Mr. Hassan also opposed a Bill sought to be moved by Sobhana George (Cong.) that seeks to provide relief to teachers and ayahs of pre-primary schools run by parent-teacher associations.

Mr. Hassan noted that the Bill envisaged preliminary expenses of Rs. 6 crores and recurring expenses of Rs. 30 crores. This would be a heavy burden on the Government. It could not think of shouldering it. He said that the Government, however, was taking certain measures to help the pre-primary teachers and ayahs.

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