Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has directed banks and financial institutions (BFIs) to appoint information officer at the earliest.
The central bank issued the directive after the National Information Commission apprised the former of the legal requirement to appoint information officers in BFIs as per the Right to Information Act 2007. Section 6 of the act sates that public body will arrange for an information officer for the purpose of disseminating information held in its office.
As per the provision, BFIs should have an information officer in its office. They are also required to open an information section.Gaulochan Sainju, under secretary at NIC, told Republica that the BFIs should immediately appoint information officer and send the appointed officer´s name, position, contact number and email address to the commission´s office at the earliest. “As BFIs are public body, they should also appoint information officers to safeguard people´s right to information from these financial institutions,” he added.
The act ensures people´s right to information from the public bodies. Likewise, the act also requires the public offices to classify and update information and make them public, publish and broadcast and to make the citizens´ access to information simple and easy.The central regulatory bank has also asked the BFIs to appoint information officer in second or third hierarchy below the administrative chief as per the Right to Information Regulation, 2009.
Nepal Bankers´ Association vice-president Upendra Poudyal told Republica that commercial banks already have information officers in their offices for effective flow of information. “BFIs are very transparent institutions. The NRB circular issued on Friday will help BFIs to make information flow more systematic,” he added.Similarly, the commission has also made it mandatory for the BFIs to update information every three months and publish it in their website as well as send a copy to the commission.
Such information should include structure and nature of the institution, its duties, responsibilities and powers, number of employees and working details, and service to be provided by the institution.
Likewise, the BFIs should now let the public know the fee and time limit required for their services and updated description of income and expenditures, and financial transactions, among other.
The BFIs, however, are publishing their balance sheet regularly in newspaper.
source: republica,28 feb 2014
LINK
The central bank issued the directive after the National Information Commission apprised the former of the legal requirement to appoint information officers in BFIs as per the Right to Information Act 2007. Section 6 of the act sates that public body will arrange for an information officer for the purpose of disseminating information held in its office.
As per the provision, BFIs should have an information officer in its office. They are also required to open an information section.Gaulochan Sainju, under secretary at NIC, told Republica that the BFIs should immediately appoint information officer and send the appointed officer´s name, position, contact number and email address to the commission´s office at the earliest. “As BFIs are public body, they should also appoint information officers to safeguard people´s right to information from these financial institutions,” he added.
The act ensures people´s right to information from the public bodies. Likewise, the act also requires the public offices to classify and update information and make them public, publish and broadcast and to make the citizens´ access to information simple and easy.The central regulatory bank has also asked the BFIs to appoint information officer in second or third hierarchy below the administrative chief as per the Right to Information Regulation, 2009.
Nepal Bankers´ Association vice-president Upendra Poudyal told Republica that commercial banks already have information officers in their offices for effective flow of information. “BFIs are very transparent institutions. The NRB circular issued on Friday will help BFIs to make information flow more systematic,” he added.Similarly, the commission has also made it mandatory for the BFIs to update information every three months and publish it in their website as well as send a copy to the commission.
Such information should include structure and nature of the institution, its duties, responsibilities and powers, number of employees and working details, and service to be provided by the institution.
Likewise, the BFIs should now let the public know the fee and time limit required for their services and updated description of income and expenditures, and financial transactions, among other.
The BFIs, however, are publishing their balance sheet regularly in newspaper.
source: republica,28 feb 2014
LINK
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