‘Will go long way in ensuring transparency’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 26: Bringing J&K Bank under the purview of RTI by State Government is a welcome step and will go long way in ensuring transparency in dealing of public money by the premium banking company of the State. There are lacs of people of the State who have their money and investments in the Bank without even knowing the investments by Bank or the list and number of defaulters. There had been serious allegations against functioning of the Bank in the media but till date Bank had succeeded in hiding truth under the carpet as it was evading supply of information being out of RTI regime.
This was stated by BJP Chief Spokesperson of the State, Sunil Sethi in a statement issued here today. He said BJP is of the view that supply of information on request by Bank will ensure not only its transparency but also boost confidence of masses in security of their money.
Sethi, who said that hiding information in the present era is not beneficial even for the Bank. He said Bank should come out on its own and make public list of defaulters, the amount of money due and also details of all appointments, including any appointment made without selection process.
Sunil Sethi noted that bringing J&K Bank under RTI was long due and the step taken by State Government is a decision in right direction.
Suporting him his party colleague and State spokesman, BJP, Brig (retd) Anil Gupta said a Bank in which the State Government holds majority share of 60% which in other words implies involvement of 60% public money, cannot be kept isolated from public scrutiny and needs total and complete transparency. He said a row was created last year when just ahead of the Budget session of the Legislature, the then Finance Minister, HaseebDrabu shot a letter to the Speaker seeking that no question pertaining to Jammu & Kashmir Bank should be entertained in the House. It created a doubt in the mind of many legislators who termed it “totally unjustified” and felt that there was something “fishy”. Since then, the shady functioning of the Bank has been a matter of discussion among the public but since the Bank does not fall under the ambit of Right to Information Act (RTI Act) nothing concrete could emerge in the open though speculative allegations.
Welcoming the decision of the State Administrative Council led by Governor, Satya Pal Malik declaring J&K Bank a Public Sector Undertaking and bringing it under the ambit of RTI Act, the CVC guidelines and the State Legislature, Brig Gupta said that the decision is not only in the public interest but also progressive as well.
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