New Delhi: The Central Information
Commission has directed the government to make public the
details related to the debt agreement signed with Russia in
1993, also known as Rupee-Rouble Agreement.
"Since the Public Authority (External Affairs Ministry)
has failed to substantiate their argument that the information
is exempted from disclosure...the Commission directs the MEA
to provide complete information in larger public interest,"
Information Commissioner Annapurna Dixit held.
Member of Kerala state assembly P C George had moved the
CIC after his RTI request seeking copies of the `letters of
exchange` on state credits to India by erstwhile USSR was
rejected by the MEA in August last year.
CIC rejected the argument put forth by the ministry that
disclosure could adversely impact country`s economic
interests.
"It is the Commission`s contention that with the
information related to Rupee-Rouble Debt Agreement including
the exchange rates already existing in public domain
...providing information specific to RTI queries cannot
adversely affect relations with Russia," she said.
The agreement was signed in 1993 to address the issue of
the Rupee-Rouble exchange rate for credit repayment following
the dissolution of the USSR.
-PTI
