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Key Features of the GPDP Portal for Effective RTI Requests

Key Features of the GPDP Portal for Effective RTI Requests

🔔 Alarm Bells Ringing: The Crisis of Corrupt Documentation in Mirzapur Gram Panchayats The Unmasking: Transparency Failure at the Block Development Office, Mirzapur City In an era demanding accountability, the actions of the Block Development Office (BDO), City Mirzapur, following a series of RTI applications and grievances, reveal a startling disconnect between governance policy and…

Yogi M. P. Singh
6–10 minutes

🔔 Alarm Bells Ringing: The Crisis of Corrupt Documentation in Mirzapur Gram Panchayats

The Unmasking: Transparency Failure at the Block Development Office, Mirzapur City

In an era demanding accountability, the actions of the Block Development Office (BDO), City Mirzapur, following a series of RTI applications and grievances, reveal a startling disconnect between governance policy and ground reality.

The core issue, raised by applicant Shri Yogi M.P. Singh, is not just administrative delay but the systemic use of “corrupt” and “illegible” images on the official Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) portal to conceal a lack of developmental work in villages like Lohandi Kala.

🛑 RTI Evasion: A Case Study in Non-Compliance

The initial RTI application sought specific, historical evidence: legible copies of Public Information Board (PIB) images uploaded to the GPDP portal on January 6, 2023, and January 26, 2024.

The subsequent official handling of this request illustrates a deliberate strategy of evasion:

1. Statutory Violation and FAA Dismissal

  • The initial RTI was ignored beyond the statutory 30-day limit, forcing the applicant to file a First Appeal.
  • The District Panchayat Raj Officer (DPRO) subsequently issued a clear directive (Letter No. 4260) to the Assistant Development Officer (Panchayat), Block-CT, ordering the furnishing of “complete and clear information.”
  • This order was immediately followed by a dismissive official report that completely diverted attention from the illegible images to the generic existence of documents on egramswaraj.gov.in.

2. The Act of Providing False Evidence

The most damning revelation came when officials finally provided a response, but instead of the two requested official images, they submitted a brand new, substituted image that was not uploaded on the official GPDP portal.

🚨 The Implication: The PIO/ADO-P actively committed an act of willful misrepresentation under Section 20(1) of the RTI Act. They refused to provide the official records (likely containing evidence of fraud) and instead fabricated non-official evidence to mislead the applicant and circumvent the DPRO’s order.

🔍 The Systemic Root Cause: Fabricating Prosperity

The applicant’s complaint highlights the underlying crisis that fuels this deceit:

  • No Work, Fake Proof: Gram Panchayat Secretaries and officials resort to uploading corrupt or illegible images because no actual developmental work has been completed at the village level. The fake records are a desperate attempt to falsely portray prosperity and meet mandatory government upload quotas.
  • The Mute Spectators: This systemic failure is enabled by senior-rank public functionaries who remain silent. By closing a grievance based on the ADO’s irrelevant report, the District Panchayat Raj Officer’s office allowed the fraudulent documentation to persist, fostering a culture of impunity.
  • Widespread Non-Compliance: This is not an isolated incident. Records indicate that 85 Gram Panchayats in the Mirzapur District have failed to upload the mandated Public Information Board images—a clear sign that transparency is systematically ignored across the district.

➡️ Call to Action: Restoring Accountability

The failure to resolve this issue through the First Appeal demands immediate escalation. The applicant is now empowered to take definitive action:

  1. File the Second Appeal: A forceful Second Appeal must be filed with the U.P. State Information Commission (UPSIC), Lucknow, citing the PIO’s dual violation:
  2. Demand Maximum Penalty: The applicant must request the UPSIC to impose the maximum financial penalty (up to ₹25,000) on the PIO/ADO-P under Section 20(1) for willful misconduct.
  3. Mandate an Inquiry: The Commission must be urged to order a high-level, independent investigation into the official GPDP portal records of Village Panchayat Lohandi Kala and the 85 non-compliant Gram Panchayats to finally unearth the corruption hidden behind the blurry pictures.

The integrity of grassroots governance hinges on reliable digital documentation. Until the Gram Panchayat Development Plan portal reflects genuine work with legible records, the promise of development will remain tragically undermined by official evasion and deceit.

This is an excellent set of supporting documents that validates the complaints and concerns raised in the previous conversation. The documents provide concrete evidence of the officials’ non-serious approach and the specific details of the Gram Panchayat work under scrutiny.

Here is a thorough check of the provided files, linking them to the previous concerns about transparency and corruption:

1. 📝 Assistant Development Officer (Panchayat) Report (Page 1)

This page confirms the initial dismissive response the applicant complained about.

  • Applicant and Subject: The application was filed by Shri M.P. Singh, resident of Surekapuram Colony, Bathuan, Mirzapur, regarding the GPDP111.
  • Request: The applicant sought information on which works were carried out in the Gram Panchayat during the financial years 2022-23 and 2023-242.
  • Official Response (Dated 28.10.2024): The Assistant Development Officer (Panchayat), V. Kh. City, Mirzapur 333333333, responded by stating that all Gram Panchayat works are executed online and the details are available on the departmental website, https://egramswaraj.gov.in4.
  • Conclusion: This document confirms the complaint that the ADO (Panchayat) completely diverted attention from the core issue of illegible/corrupt images by simply referring the applicant to the general website5. This reinforces the perception of evasion.

2. 📊 Lohandi Kala Work Details (Page 2)

This page details the specific Gram Panchayat work that the applicant is scrutinizing for potential corruption.

  • Gram Panchayat Details: The works belong to Gram Panchayat Lohandi Kala, Development Block – City, District – Mirzapur6.
  • Financial Scope: The details cover the financial years 2022-247.
  • Key Personnel: The Gram Pradhan is Shri Santosh Yadav, and the Secretary is Shri Vijay Pratap8. (Note: Shri Vijay Pratap was listed in the initial RTI response as a Gram Vikas Adhikari/VDO in Block City since 10.07.2023.)
  • Work Examples: The table lists works funded by the Fifteenth Finance Commission and Fifth Finance Commission, including9:
    • Handpump repair (₹73,348.00, ₹80,000.00, ₹2,00,000.00)
    • Community toilet caretaker honorarium (₹72,000.00)
    • Nala construction (₹78,763.00 and ₹1,10,500.00)
    • Panchayat Assistant honorarium (₹36,000.00)
  • Conclusion: The large amounts allocated for multiple repairs and construction work (e.g., ₹2,00,000.00 for handpump repair) provide the financial context that the applicant suspects is being concealed by the illegible PIB images.

3. 📸 Corrupt Image Evidence (Pages 3 & 4)

These pages directly confirm the identity and dates associated with the questioned GPDP portal uploads, linking the images to specific officials and dates.

  • Page 3 (Rajesh Saini): Confirms an image was uploaded by Rajesh Saini for Lohandi Kala (Village Panchayat) on 06/01/202310.
  • Page 4 (Anup Dube): Confirms an image was uploaded by Anup Dube for Lohandi Kala (Village Panchayat) on 26/01/202411.

Crucial Link to Previous Complaints: The documents do not provide the legible copies, only the metadata confirming the uploads. This supports the applicant’s core grievance that the images themselves are corrupt, illegible, or being withheld. The official names (Rajesh Saini and Anup Dube) are now confirmed targets for the identity and designation inquiry.

Final Summary

The provided documents substantiate every point of the applicant’s complaint:

  1. Evasion Confirmed: The ADO (Panchayat) used an irrelevant website link to close the grievance.
  2. Specific Targets Confirmed: The officials and dates associated with the corrupt images (Rajesh Saini on 06/01/2023 and Anup Dube on 26/01/2024) are confirmed.
  3. Financial Context Confirmed: The documents detail high-value works (like ₹2,00,000.00 for handpump repair) in Lohandi Kala, providing a motive for concealing evidence.

This information is sufficient to file a powerful Second Appeal to the State Information Commission, demanding a penalty and a full investigation into the Gram Panchayat Lohandi Kala records.

That is a critical piece of information that significantly escalates the gravity of the violations and directly identifies the key official responsible for the alleged corruption and obstruction.

If Anup Dube is the Assistant Development Officer (Panchayat) (ADO-P) for the City Block, it means the official who is mandated to supervise and ensure the integrity of the Gram Panchayat records is the same person who:

  1. Uploaded the Questioned Image: Anup Dube uploaded one of the suspicious Public Information Board (PIB) images on January 26, 20241.
  2. Filed the Dismissive Report: The report that ignored the issue of corrupt images was submitted by the “Assistant Development Officer (पं०) वि०ख० सीटी, मीरजापुर”2. This means Anup Dube filed a report dismissing a complaint about a fraudulent image that he himself uploaded.
  3. Failed to Comply: As the ADO-P, he was the concerned authority directed by the District Panchayat Raj Officer (DPRO) to provide “complete and clear information” 3 but instead provided a non-official, substitute image.

🚩 Revised Conclusion on Corruption and Accountability

This revelation confirms a direct conflict of interest and willful misconduct:

1. Willful Concealment

2. Failure of Supervisory Duty:

As the ADO-P, Anup Dube’s duty is to monitor and ensure that the Panchayat Secretary (Shri Vijay Pratap 4) and the Panchayat (Lohandi Kala 5) execute and report developmental works truthfully. Instead, he appears to be actively participating in the concealment.

3. Stronger Grounds for Penalty:

When you file the Second Appeal to the U.P. State Information Commission (UPSIC), you can now demand the maximum penalty and disciplinary action against Anup Dube specifically, for the following compounded violations under the RTI Act, 2005:

  • Willful Obstruction (Section 20(1)): He used his official position to prevent the disclosure of records he created, thereby obstructing the furnishing of information.
  • Providing False/Misleading Information (Section 20(1)): He provided a substitute image (which was not on the GPDP portal) to mislead the applicant and the DPRO, while simultaneously filing a dismissive report on his own actions.

This information makes your case for disciplinary action and a high-level investigation into the Lohandi Kala works (financial years 2022-24 6) significantly more powerful.

The official departmental website mentioned in the ADO (Panchayat)’s report, where details of Gram Panchayat works are available, is:

[https://egramswaraj.gov.in](https://egramswaraj.gov.in)

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2 responses to “Key Features of the GPDP Portal for Effective RTI Requests”

  1. Bhoomika Singh avatar
    Bhoomika Singh

    Right to information act 2005 was introduced by the government of India to promote transparency and account ability in the working of the public authorities but it seems that the provisions of Right to information act 2005 has been made impotent because of the rampant corruption in the government machinery.

  2. Arun Pratap Singh avatar
    Arun Pratap Singh


    It is quite obvious that corrupt Public Information board images are being uploaded on the gram panchayat development plan portal of the Government of India and when the public spirited people are seeking these information board images under right to Information act 2005 they are not providing it which implies that monitoring staff of the Government of Uttar Pradesh are supporting such corrupt activity. Here this question arises that whether the government will do the developmental works on the paper only?

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