In a significant step to enhance accountability under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Haryana Government has instructed all departments to recover pending penalties imposed by the State Information Commission without delay.
A letter from Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi to Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Departments, Chief Administrators, Managing Directors of Boards and Corporations, Divisional Commissioners, and Deputy Commissioners outlined a clear, time-bound recovery process.
The total outstanding penalties amount to ₹2,94,87,657, which are to be recovered from defaulting State Public Information Officers (SPIOs) across various departments.
Haryana Government Introduces Monthly Installments for RTI Penalty Recovery from Salaries & Pensions
To facilitate smooth recovery, the Haryana Government has approved a structured monthly installment system instead of lump-sum deductions. Under this plan, Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) will recover the amounts from salaries or pensions as follows: Class-A officers – ₹10,000 per month (₹5,000 if retired), Class-B – ₹7,000 per month (₹3,500 if retired), and Class-C – ₹4,000 per month (₹2,000 if retired).
Also read : AYUSH Hospitals in Haryana to Get Full Staff Strength Soon, Says Aarti Singh Rao
The Haryana Government clarified that penalties for deceased SPIOs will be waived. For serving Sarpanches, ₹3,000 per month will be deducted from their honorarium, while cases of ex-Sarpanches will be referred to the respective Deputy Commissioners for action under applicable revenue laws.
Administrative Secretaries have been instructed to personally oversee compliance and submit regular status reports to the State Information Commission, reflecting the Haryana Government ’s focus on transparency, accountability, and institutional discipline.