An assistant
from A-Group of Question Branch came to me at 11.30 am with a list of un-uploaded
replies to Parliament Questions (PQs) saying that ‘as senior most’ in E Group,
I should obtain hard copies of the replies from the concerned ministries under
the purview of Group E. I said that it might be convenient if he gives in
writing upon which he replied that they have received such note from computer
software branch of the Lok Sabha Secretariat. I told him to give me the same even
if they are reluctant to give in writing. As a matter of fact, A Group is
responsible for such matters over all the groups of question branch. The note
was not received for about 45 minutes.
I had to
find a precedent worth quoting in case I float a file over the issue. I
remember the practice in question branch of issuing office memorandum to all
ministries of Government of India before the commencement of every session of Lok
Sabha. I obtained a copy of the same pertaining to the 9th session
of 16th Lok Sabha from Shri Rajpal Singh, EO of C-Group. The OM
inter alia, stated …. Soft copy of … may be sent to Computer (HW&SW) Branch,
Lok Sabha Secretariat, under intimation of JS/AS of Director in charge of
question branch.
I called up Shri
Nilendu, EO incharge of A Group and tried to reason whether it would not be better to
ask for the soft copy rather than the hard copy of the un-uploaded replies. He
started narrating the issue in a round-a-bout way, about how the ministries are
not co-operative in the matter even after repeated reminders,,, blah blah blah.
He also tutored me about the fact that they had issued OM exclusively for
uploading such replies during the very recent/2 days ago time. Immediately I
asked him to give me a copy of the OM. He said that he just wanted me to do the
needful on my side, that if I am not interested in taking action I could leave
it altogether. I tried to insist that I only wanted a copy to quote/refer to in
case I have to issue instructions to the ministries.
Thereupon the
EO said that I was argumentative.
I went to
ease myself and on my return, found a copy of the note dated 1.9.2016 from was
lying on my table. Through the note the Computer (HW&SW) Branch requested
Question Branch to expedite uploading of of 78 Starred and 214 Unstarred
Questions.
It was not
clear whether A Group had taken action on the note or not. There is nothing
like written letter/OM or any instruction issued to the various ministries of
the Government of India.
Immediately
I checked out about Vijay Kumar and came to learn from a Jr Clerk that he was
on leave till next Wednesday. I went to Shri GC Dobhal, DS , he was not on his
seat. Back in my seat I called Shri Arun Kumar, US and there was no response.
Perhaps even he was on leave.
All
supervisory officers in-charge were on leave and the issue was brought up to me
by A Group on the ground of me being the “senior most”
At last I
called up Shri Rohilla of the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance
and asked him to expedite the case immediately.
