ASSAM RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND AGRICULTURAL SERVICES (ARIAS) SOCIETY

ARIAS Society: Project Coordination Unit
Right to Information Act 2005 

1
The particulars of its organization, functions and duties
Details are available in the Memorandum of Association (MoA)/ Rules of Business (RoB) of ARIAS Society. The documents are available in the web site of the Society ‘www.arias.in’ at Annexure-1 and Annexure-2 respectively.
2
The powers and duties of its officers and employees
Details are available in the MOA/ RoB and Bylaws of ARIAS Society. The list of officials and their responsibilities are listed here in Annexure-3.
3
The procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability
Details are available in the web site of the Society ‘www.arias.in’ at Annexure-1, Annexure-2 , Annexure-3 respectively.
4
The norms set by it for the discharge of its functions
Details available in the following documents which are available in the web site
a) MOA/ RoB and By Laws of ARIAS Society : Annexure-1 , Annexure-2
b) List of Officials (Annexure-3),
c) Procurement Manual (draft), (Annexure-4)
d) Operational Manual (draft),
e) Legal Agreement (Development Credit Agreement & Project Agreement),
f) Project Appraisal Document (PAD),
g) Cost Table for the Project AACP .
5
The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions
Details are available in the MOA/ RoB and By Laws of ARIAS Society and also in the list of Officials, Procurement Manual, Operational Manual (draft), Legal Agreement (Development Credit Agreement & Project Agreement), and the Project Appraisal Document (PAD). Procurement Manual is already on the web site of the Society.
6
A statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control
a) The Legal agreements relating to the Project- AACP (viz. Development Credit Agreement & Project Agreement),
b) The Project Appraisal Document,
c) The Procurement Manual,
d) The Procurement Plan (August 2004), for first 18 months of the Project.
e) Project Operational Manual,
f) The Norms for hiring of Vehicles,
g) The Selection Criteria for Districts ((Dhubri, Hailakandi, Jorhat, Nalbari, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Goalpara, Karimganj & Morigaon) for Road activities under AACP, Roads in the districts.
h) Information relating to contracts above Rs. 13.5 lakhs (Details of comparative Statements or Bid Evaluation Reports).
i) Norms for Decentralization of Procurement.
j) Information Education & Communication (IEC) Materials (under preparation)
7
The particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof
a) NGOs are in place in the following districts. They may also be approached for consultation about the project in addition to the District Head of the State Government’s Departments associated with the project AACP (Viz. Agriculture, PWD, AH & Veterinary Deptt, Fishery, Dairy Development, Forest in case of Kamrup & Nagaon) and also Assam Agriculture University.
Sl No Name of the Organization- District
1 Centre for Rural Development (CRD - Kamrup)
2 Society for Researc Development & Communication (SRDC - Morigaon)
3 Grammya Unnayan Santha (GUS-Nagaon)
4 Centre For Development Action and Appropriate Technology (CADAT-Sonitpur)
5 Khorapathar Sanmilita Yubak Samaj (KSYS-Lsakhimpur)
6 North East Affected Area Develeopment Sociaty NEADS- Golaghat & Jorhat)
7 Krishak Nyas ( KIN Sivsagar)
8 Sipajhar Diamond Club & Community Centre (SDCCC Darrang)
9 Barnibari Yubak Sangha (BYS Nalbari )
10 Club Rhino (Barpeta )
11 Discovery Club (Bongaigaon)
12 Discovery Club ( Kokrajhar)
13 Gauripur Vivekananda Club (GVC Dhubri )
14 Ajagar Social Circle (ASC- Goalpara )
15 Deshbandhu Club (DBC - Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi )
16 North East Affected Area Develeopment Sociaty ( Dibrugarh)
17 North East Affected Area Develeopment Sociaty ( Tinsukia)
b) Moreover, Filed Management Committees (FMC) for STW Irrigation & Mechanization schemes, District A
c) DACC & SPCC
1) ATMA Societies - For coordinated extension services in the sectors of agriculture, animal husbandry, Dairy and fisheries, AACP has pioneered adoption of the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) model at district levels. ATMA Societies have already been registered in 6 districts viz., Nagaon, Kamrup, Jorhat, Hailakandi , Barpeta and Sonitpur.
2) One Social Development Specialist and Two Assistant Social Development Specialists are in place in the PCU to coordinate consultation with the project stake holders/ beneficiaries/ etc for formulating the implementation strategy.
3) Legal Literacy Workshops are organized to enlighten stake holders & project beneficiaries in the rural area.
8
A statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public
Statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies:

1) Governing Body of ARIAS Society, headed by Agriculture Production Commissioner
2) Project Guidance Council of ARIAS Society, headed by Chief Secretary Assam
3) State Project Coordination Committee (SPCC)
4) District Agriculture Coordination Committee (DACC)
5) Sanction Sub-Committee of ARIAS society
6) Empowered Committees (two) to take final decision at State Government level for activities under the project for all contracts above Rs. 13.5 lakhs
7) ATMA Societies at District Level, Block Technology Team (BTT) at Block level

Minutes of such meetings will be made accessible to public.
9
A directory of its officers and employees
Complete List of officers and employees is available at Annexure-3.
10
The monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations
Complete list of officers and employees with their monthly remunerations is available at Annexure-5.
11
The budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made
The budget allocated to various departments is shown in the Annual work Plan 06-07.
12
The manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes
Manner of Subsidy program is shown in the PAD.
13
Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations granted by it
Decentralization procurement to HOD level for contracts below Rs.13.5 lakhs.
14
Details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form
Almost all documents are available in electronic form through SMU
15
The particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use
Source of Information:

a) From Office Display Board at PCU
b) From Web Site of ARIAS Society –www.arias.in
c) From NGOs working under the project
d) From ATMA Societies
e) District Offices of the Line Departments of AACP (Agriculture/ PWD/ AH & Veterinary/ Fishery/ Dairy Development)

Working Hours: Normal Office Hours of the State Government.
16
The names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers (PIO)
a)Shri Aniruddha Dey,AFS, Environmental Specialist & Forest Coordinator, as PIO;
b)Shri Niraj Verma, IAS, State Project Director as 1st Appellate Authority
17
Designation of Public Information Officer under the Act
The Public Information Officer (PIO) designated is:

Environmental Specialist & Forest Coordinator as PIO; presently post held by Shri Aniruddha Dey,AFS .
18
Designation of Appellate Authorities under the Act
The following are the Appellate Authorities --

a. State Project Director, as 1st Appellate Authority; presently post held by Shri Niraj Verma, IAS,
b. Agriculture Production Commissioner & Chairman ARIAS Society as Chief Appellate Authority; presently post held by Shri R.T. Jindal, IAS.
19
Amendments to existing rules & regulations in the light of the RTI Act 2005
No amendments to the existing rules & regulations of the ARIAS is required to comply with the requirements of the RTI Act 2005. However, State Government is the competent authority to examine whether any amendments to the existing rules & regulations of the Government of Assam is required to comply with the requirements of the RTI Act 2005.
20 Internal procedure to be followed by PIO/ APIO/ Appellate Authority of the PCU, ARIAS Society while dealing with request of the public seeking information under the RTI Act 2005