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Explainer: What do we know about the 'Pecuniary interests' of our MPs?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 25, 2019
Pecuniary & other business interests of lawmakers can have a significant bearing in the discharge of their duties. These interests also highlight the conflict of interest of our MPs. But what do we know about the pecuniary interest of our MPs? Here is an explainer.
The pecuniaryinterests of lawmakers can often result in conflict of interest and have abearing on the discharge of their duties. Maintaining a record of theseinterests would help democratic institutions to have an understanding on thepossible self-interest of the members and the possible conflict in the variouslaws being made. It would also help understand the impact of the presence ofcertain members in different legislative and policy making committees.
The law surrounding the disclosure & maintenance of such ‘pecuniary interests’ data varies from country to country, with many of the democracies across the world working towards bringing in greater transparency and accountability in this area. India also has a provision in place for maintaining a register of pecuniary interests of its Members of Parliament (MPs), but only for the MPs of the Rajya Sabha.
Register for
Members’ Interest is maintained only by the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha hasan explicit provision for
maintenance of ‘Register of Members’ Interest’. The register is maintained underthe authority of the Rajya Sabha’s committee on ethics. As per theseprovisions, MPs of Rajya Sabha have to declare their
interest in the following five categories.
On the other hand, the Lok Sabha does not have any such provision for declaration of ‘pecuniary interests’ with members being required to declare only their assets and liabilities. They are not obliged to declare any other pecuniary interests that might have with a direct or indirect bearing on discharge of their roles.
Though theRajya Sabha maintains the ‘Register of Members’ Interest’, it is neither availablein the public domain nor on the Rajya Sabha website. The Register can only beaccessed by filing a RTI application.
ADR(Association for Democratic Reforms) and NEW (National Election Watch) havefiled a RTI application for Register of Members Interest and have procured the same with thedetails of Rajya Sabha MPs as on 04 January 2019.
Note on the Data: Since the data is as on 04 January 2019, some of the MPs may have retired and others may have switched parties. The party affiliation mentioned in this story is as on 04 January 2019.
Only 41.8% of
the MPs have declared pecuniary interests
ADR’s analysis of the Register of Members’ Interest of Rajya Sabha MPs, notes that the pecuniary interest details have been submitted by 213 sitting members of Rajya Sabha. As on 04 January 2019, the details are not available for 17 members as they have not submitted their declaration of pecuniary interests.
Of the MPswho have provided their declarations, 89 (41.8%) have stated that they havepecuniary interests which fall under the defined five heads. On the other hand,majority of the MPs i.e. 124 MPs (58.2%) have declared that they do not haveany financial interests which fall under any of the five heads.
What is the most common form of ‘Pecuniary Interest’?
It hasto be noted that, the pecuniary interest of an individual MP can be under morethan one category. ‘Shareholding of controlling nature’ is the most common formof pecuniary interest with 44 MPs declaring their interest under this head. Another40 MPs have declared financial interest under ‘Professional engagement’ withonly 2 MPs declaring under the head ‘Paid Consultancy’.
A totalof 24 and 30 Members of Rajya Sabha have declared their pecuniary interests ofthe nature ‘Remunerative directorship’ and ‘Regular remunerated activity’respectively.
Pecuniary interest of the highest value isunder the head ‘Shareholding of controlling nature’ with BJP MP from Bihar, RavindraKishore Sinha having individual shares worth Rs. 525 crores and overall shares(including self, spouse and dependent) to the tune of Rs. 747 crores.
Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, memberfrom West Bengal has declared shares worth Rs. 386 crores of which Rs. 382crores worth of shares are on his name. Further, Abhishek Manu Singhvi has alsodeclared Rs. 177 crores as the amount received under ‘Professionalengagements’. Under the same category, Congress’s P. Chidambaram has declaredamount earned as Rs. 33 crores, followed by nominated member of Rajya Sabha,KTS Tulsi with Rs. 27 crores. KTS Tulsi is one of the two MPs who have declaredpecuniary interest under ‘Paid Consultancy’ with amount of Rs. 27.5 lakhs. Dr. VikasHaribhau Mahatme, is another MP under this category with pecuniary interest tothe tune of Rs. 5.6 lakhs.
D. Kupendra Reddy, JD(S) MP from Karnatakadeclared an amount of Rs. 40 crores as received from ‘Remunerative directorship’, followed by RajeevChandrasekhar, BJP MP from Karnataka who declared Rs.7 Crores under this head.
124 of the 213 MPs who have made declarations, state that they do not have pecuniary interest under any of the 5 heads. Of these MPs, Subbirami Reddy of the Congress from Andhra Pradesh has the highest assets, worth Rs. 422 crores. C.M. Ramesh of TDP, now in BJP, has declared his assets to the tune of Rs. 258 crores with no pecuniary interest.
What about such disclosures in other countries?
Many of the major democracies lay emphasis onhaving such provisions for its law makers. The provisions in various countries differfrom one another.
United Kingdom (UK)
United Kingdom’s Parliament requires all itsmembers to register all their current financial interest in the Register of Members’ Financial
Interests. Allthe new MPs are required to provide the details within a month of theirelection and the existing MPs need to furnish the changes if any within 28days. They are required to register details like Salaries, fees or payments ofany kind, gifts for services performed, allowances , ex-gratia payments,payments for opinion surveys, donations received for support as MP etc. These detailshave to be furnished along  details ofthe company or the payer. Pension payments, dividends, earnings received asmember of parliament or a minster of cabinet, earnings of member’s spouse,partner or family members are exempted from declaration. Unlike in India, theregistration of Interests is applicable for both the houses i.e.  House of Commons and House of Lords.
Australia
Australia also has a provision for registration of interest for its members of Parliament, applicable for both Senators and Members of House of Representatives.  The registrable interests fall under 14 categories like Shareholdings, directorships, real estate, partnerships, bonds, debentures, gifts over certain value etc.
New Zealand
Since 2005, the Members of Parliament in New Zealand are also required to furnish the details of their pecuniary interests. The Register of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests of Members of Parliament contains the details like – Company directorships, Shares and Bonds, Employment, Interest in Trusts, Real property, Investment Schemes etc. New Zealand also has a provision for external audit where ‘The Office of Auditor General (OAG)’ reviews and if needed conducts an enquiry into the returns filed by the Member of Parliament.
Canada
In Canada, the Conflict of Interest Code specifies 12 heads under which thefinancial interests of the Members of Parliament fall under. These include – Governmentcontracts, Shares in Private Companies , Trusts, Sources of Income etc.
United States
In UnitedStates, under the ‘Ethics in
Government Act’, the public representatives have to file their
pecuniary Interests under-  Financial Disclosure,Gift/Travel, Lobby Disclosure and Post Employment. An online process using ‘Financial Disclosure
Online Reporting Application’ is in place tofacilitate online filing of the financial disclosure.
Current
provisions are limited, Reforms needed for better reporting
Theprovision for declaration of pecuniary interests for MPs of Rajya Sabha is an initialstep towards resolving the conflict of interest issues pertaining to publicrepresentatives. While such a provision has to be made for MPs of the LokSabha, the provision in place for Rajya Sabha and its enforcement has left alot to be desired.
In thereport by ADR, 58.2% of the MPs who made declarations specify that theirpecuniary interests do not fall under any of the 5 categories. However, areview of their assets makes one wonder if the provisions for these  declarations are enough. There are MPs withassets running into hundreds of crores, but still have not declared anypecuniary interest in these 5 categories.
In manyof the countries as noted above, the pecuniary interest declarations includecategories like real estate, savings/investment accounts etc. which  if included in India, will see more MPs fromthe Rajya Sabha declaring interests under those categories.
Timelyand prompt disclosure is another important aspect of these disclosures. Asalready stated earlier, 17 members have still not declared their pecuniaryinterests by the time ADR filed the RTI. Further, like in other countries, allsuch declarations made by MPs should be placed in the public domain, throughthe website of the Rajya Sabha. It should not require individuals to file RTIsto get this information.
A revised law  that covers a wide range of areas in terms of pecuniary interests is the need of the hour to bring in transparency in the affairs of public representatives.
Featured Image:Pecuniary interests of our MPs

created: September 25, 2019


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How much does India contribute to various International Agencies?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 18, 2019
In addition to the UN,
India contributes annually to various international organizations. Between
2005-06 & 2017-18, India’s contribution to various international
organizations has increased 7 times.
In an earlier story on Factly, the funding structure of United Nations was explained along with the contribution by various countries.  India’s contribution to the UN was alsodiscussed in the story.
Similar to United Nations, there are various other international organisations such as World Health Organisation, United Nations Development Programme, International Labour Organisation etc. to which India contributes like other countries. For developing countries like India, achievement of developmental goals is possible only through collaboration with such multilateral agencies. Global issues such as poverty, health, terrorism, environmental concerns and pandemics too need to be addressed for which involvement in activities of international organisations that work with a common objective will be the most effective. In this story, we take a look at India’s pecuniary contributions. As per the data presented during the budget, India contributed to more than 150 International bodies in 2017-18.
Those contributions made by India above ₹ 15 crores in the financial year 2017-18 have been taken into consideration in this study.
Compared to 2005-06, India’s contribution has increased almost 7 times
The focus of this story is on India’s contribution to international bodies since 2005. Over the span of 12 years, India’s actual expenditure through contribution to these bodies has been increasing gradually. From ₹ 301 crores in financial year 2005-06, India’s contribution to various international bodies has increased to ₹ 2013 crores in financial year 2017-18, an increase of almost 7 times.
In 2008-09, India contributed ₹ 1041.4 crores to the United Nation’s budget and hence a bump in the overall figures. The reasons for such a high contribution in that particular year are not known. In the previous financial year, 2007-08, India’s contribution to the UN was only ₹ 42 crores and in 2009-10, this was around ₹ 104.6 crores.
India started contributing more than ₹ 400 crores annually to IDA since 2014-15
Compared to 2013-14, the expenditure incurred on contributions to international bodies has almost doubled in 2014-15. This is primarily because India started contributing to the International Development Association (IDA) starting 2014-15. The amount contributed  to IDA is also high- above ₹ 400 crores annually. India is one among the 35 countries that have graduated from IDA at different times.
The IDA is a global financial institution that was formed in 1960 aimed at providing concessional loans to the poorest developing nations across the world. India graduated from the IDA in the year 2014. Since then, India has contributed ₹ 418 crores in 2014-15, ₹ 445.9 crores in 2015-16, ₹ 454.1 crores in 2016-17 and ₹ 408.3 crores in 2017-18. India has also contributed to the Asian Development fund (ADF) during this period. The amount paid to ADF was ₹ 91.4 crore in 2014-15, ₹ 48.1 crore in 2015-16 and ₹ 50.9 crores in 2016-17. In 2017-18, India paid ₹ 64.5 crores to ADF.
In addition to these, India has contributed ₹ 36.3 crores in 2015-16 and ₹ 67.3 crores in in 2017-18 towards African Development Fund. In 2016-17 and 2017-18, India has also spent ₹ 100.9 crores and ₹ 115.8 crores to fund South Asian Regional Training and Technical Assistance Centre which is a collaborative venture between the International Monetary Fund, member countries and development partners. This centre was inaugurated in 2017. The body has been formed with the objective to reduce poverty and support growth in the member countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
While contribution to some of theseorganisations such as the World Health Organisation, United Nations, UNDP,World Trade Organisation and others has been on for decades, contributions madeto South Asian University, Nalanda University, IDA, etc. started only recently,in the last decade. For ease of understanding, the top 13 organisations/ bodiesto which India contributes have been considered for the following analysis.
India has been regularly contributing to these 10 organisations &
the contributions account for 15.3% of India’s total contribution
India has been regularly contributing tocertain international agencies.  Expenseunder the International Cooperation of the Department of Agriculture,Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare includes the contributions made by India tothe Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the United Nations’ World FoodProgramme (UNWFP).  The amountcontributed by India towards International Cooperation of the department ofAgriculture, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UnitedNations Development Programme (UNDP), World Health Organisation (WHO) and WorldTrade Organisation (WTO) can be seen in the following chart.
Of these, the contribution made to IFAD is the largest- amounting to ₹ 77.4 crores in 2017-18 alone. Following this are the contributions made to the WTO and WHO. In the following chart, India’s contribution to Global Environment Facility, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO are given.
Global Environment Facility was establishedin 1992 in order to tackle the pressing environmental issues that requiredimmediate attention. The contributions made to the Global Environment TrustFund (as referred to in 2009-10 and before) fall under this organisation. TheIAEA is an international organisation which works to promote the peaceful,clean and safe use of nuclear energy. India has been a member of IAEA since1957.India’s contribution to UNESCO is made by the Ministry of Human ResourcesDevelopment (MHRD). It is clear from the data that India’s contribution to eachof these organisations has been increasing every year.
Since 2009, India started contributing to GFATM, South Asian University
and Nalanda University
India started contributing to Global Fundto fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (also known as GFATM), NalandaUniversity and South Asian University since 2009. The trend in contributions tothese organizations is given in the following chart.
GFATM is an international partnership organisation which mobilises funds to provide the local experts to run programs in more than 100 countries to fight AIDS, Malaria and TB which claim many lives every year, especially in the under developed countries. India has contributed an average amount of ₹ 29 crores to GFATM every year since 2009 except between 2010-12. Nalanda University located in Bihar, is an international university supported by the 17 countries which participated in the East Asia Summit. The university started functioning in 2010 under a special act of the Indian parliament. From a mere ₹ 20 lakh at the time of opening, India now contributes ₹ 150 crores to the university annually.
South Asian University is also an international university established by the member nations of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Since its inception in 2010, India has contributed substantially and India’s share has increased from ₹ 5.5 crores in 2010-11 to ₹ 377.6 crores in 2017-18.
Apart from these, India does voluntary contributions to more than 150 international bodies also in order to strengthen international relations. The association of a country like India with any international organisation is an important determinant when it comes to diplomacy since it helps in boosting trade and other relations. With the largest diaspora in the world and highest recipient of inward remittances, India’s international ties play a pivotal role in the country’s progress.

source: news-factly

created: September 18, 2019

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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How much does the Government spend on Social Media advertising?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 4, 2018
The Central Government’s expenditure on social media advertising includes the expenditure from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) and the expenditure from MyGov.
Factly had earlier reported that the Central Government spent close to Rs 10000 crore on publicity in the last 16 years. But what is the expenditure on social media?
Is MIB the only Ministry doing outreach/promotional activities for the government?
While the overall publicity expenditure is borne by the MIB, it is not the only organization that is publicizing government programs. MyGov, a division of the Digital India Corporation under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, also does multiple outreach activities of the government including Mann ki Baat, various quizzes, publicizing achievements of the government etc. Hence, the Central Government’s expenditure on social media advertising includes the expenditure from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the expenditure from MyGov.
Total Amount spent on Publicity by MIB
MIB of the Central Government spent close to Rs 10000 crore on publicity in 16 years, from 2002-03 to 2017-18. This includes 10 years of the UPA rule and six years of the NDA. As per DAVP, the data is available only from 2002-03.
As can be seen from the graph, the amount spent on publicity has increased every year except in 2006-07, 2011-12 and 2014-15. It is also interesting to note that the publicity expenditure during election years is substantially more than the normal. For instance, the amount spent from 2004-05 to 2007-08 (4 years) is equal to the amount spent in just two years (2008-09 & 2009-10). Same is the case with 2013-14 & 2014-15. On average, the publicity expenditure in an election year is 40% more than the preceding year. The overall publicity expenditure has been at least Rs 1000 crore in each of the years starting 2013-14.
What about Social Media expenditure by MIB?
As per the information provided by the MIB in response to an application under RTI, a total of Rs 81.62 crore is spent on social media advertisements in the six (6) years between 2012-13 and 2017-18.The NDA government spent a total of Rs 67.17 crore in the 4 years between 2014-15 and 2017-18. It has to be noted that the spending on social media began in 2012-13.  In the last three years, at least Rs 17 crore is spent on social media advertising each year.
Between 2012-13 and 2015-16, majority of the expenditure was through the internet medium. In 2015-16, the expenditure through the internet medium was almost three times the expenditure on SMS. This trend was reversed in both 2016-17 and 2017-18 when the majority of expenditure was on SMS. In 2017-18, the expenditure on SMS was almost 2.5 times the expenditure through the internet.
What about expenditure on MyGov?
The annual report from MEITY indicates that the total expenditure on MyGov was Rs 106.61 crore in 2016-17. Close to 90% of this expenditure is on advertising & conferences as per the expenditure statement. The annual report for 2017-18 is not yet available.


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How much Subsidy does the Government extend to Haj Pilgrims?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 12, 2015
Both politically & otherwise, Secularism in India is often discussed and any such discussion is incomplete without the reference to subsidies extended by the Government to the religious activities of citizens. The subsidy extended to Haj Pilgrims is one such direct subsidy. Based on a Supreme Court order in 2012, the Government of India has been steadily decreasing the amount of subsidy extended to the Haj Pilgrimage.


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What should an Ideal RTI Reply contain?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 9, 2015
A common complaint made by RTI applicants is about the improper reply given by PIOs. Most replies do not contain adequate information, thus making it impossible to contact the relevant PIO in case of further clarification. Now the DoPT has issued an OM directing all the PIOs to ensure that certain points are kept in mind while sending replies under the RTI act.
One common complaint from Right to Information (RTI) applicants is about the improper reply from the Public Information Officers (PIOs). Some PIOs give incomplete & irrelevant information and this often becomes the reason for filing an appeal. The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), the nodal ministry, in charge for the implementation of the RTI act, has in March this year, initiated a public consultation process on the format for providing a reply to RTI applicants.
The DoPT sought comments from all stakeholders on the points suggested by a committee comprising of representatives from the DoPT, Ministry of Home Affairs & Central Information Commission. This committee felt that there should not a model format for reply since information sought could be varied in nature, but recommended certain points that are to be adopted by all PIOs.
What is the result of the Consultation Process?
The DoPT has now accepted the suggestions of this committee and issued an Office Memorandum (OM), on 6 October 2015 detailing the points to be contained in every reply to an application under RTI. These points are of course, in addition to providing the accurate information as sought by the applications. These points listed down by the DoPT are reasonably comprehensive. Let us look at these points one by one.
The first two points in this OM mandate the PIO to mention the RTI application number, date of reply & date of receipt of the application. It also mandates the mention of the name, designation, official telephone number & email ID of the PIO. These will help the applicant know who the PIO is and consult him in case of further clarification.
Ideally this is what is expected of the PIO, that the date of the reply be clearly written along with date of the receipt of the application and the application number.
Most PIOs do not mention their official telephone number & email ID. Now this is being made mandatory.
In case of Denial, specify detailed reasons
The OM also directs the PIOs to clearly mention detailed reasons in case the information requested is to be denied. Most PIOs simply quote the relevant section number and leave it there. They do not explain the detailed reasons for the information to fall under such provisions.
In case of transfer, mention the details of the public authority
Section 6(3) of the RTI act authorizes any public authority to transfer an application if the information sought pertains to another public authority. The OM now directs the PIOs to clearly mention the details of the public authority to whom the application is being transferred.
Details of the First Appellate Authority to be clearly mentioned
Section 19(1) of the RTI act allows the applicant to file a first appeal with the First Appellate Authority in case he does not receive a reply within the mandatory 30 days or if he is not satisfied with the given reply. Again the OM directs the PIOs to clearly mention the name, designation, official telephone number and email ID of the first appellate authority.
Certified Copies to be attested
Section 2(j) of the RTI act authorizes a citizen to seek ‘certified copies’ of documents. Whenever such a request is made, the PIO is supposed to endorse the document as a True Copy and attest it with the seal containing the name of the officer and name of the public authority. Most PIOs do not follow this and hence a common complaint from the citizens. Only a certified true copy can be used as evidence in courts. Thankfully, the DoPT has now made it clear in its latest OM.
In most departments, the PIOs are senior officials who may not have the time to personally sign thousands of pages if the information sought is voluminous. In such cases, the DoPT has said that the certification could be done by a Junior Gazetted officer.
A Step in the Right Direction
Merely following the above mentioned points  without providing the relevant information is of no use. Hence it is equally important that proper & relevant information is provided based on what is sought. But at the same time, setting standards for the RTI replies is a right step in that direction. All the States/UTs should follow suit and issue similar directions to the departments at the state level.

created: October 9, 2015


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How to claim your unclaimed EPF? - More than 27000 crore of EPF is Unclaimed
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 29, 2015
Employees contribute to Provident Fund for post retirement benefits. But when employees change jobs, some of them open a new EPF account and do not operate their old EPF account. As a result, that account becomes inoperative after 3 years. Employees often are not aware of the process of claiming  amount from these inoperative accounts. Government data suggests that there is more than 27000 crore rupees in these inoperative accounts.
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) was established through an act of Parliament. Both employees & employers contribute to the fund. The fund can be withdrawn by the Employee in case of retirement, resignation or by the nominee in the case of death. While many organizations ensure that a contribution is made to the EPF, employees face problems when they change jobs. Some of them do not transfer their existing EPF money and open an entirely new EPF account with the new employer. As a result, the old EPF account lies inoperative.
Inoperative Accounts
Para 72(6) of the Employees Provident Fun Scheme defines what is known as an ‘Inoperative Account’. Inoperative accounts are a common occurrence when employees change jobs and are not aware of the EPF account details. Since they open a new EPF account, the old account becomes inoperative if the amount is not claimed in within 36 months (3 years).
More than 27000 crore rupees unclaimed in ‘Inoperative Accounts’
In an answer to a question in the Lok Sabha, the minister of Labour & Employment mentioned that as on 31 March, 2014, a total of 27,448 crore rupees was lying unclaimed in these inoperative accounts. Maharashtra leads this list with more than 6700 crores followed by Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka & Tamil Nadu, each of which have more than 2000 crore of unclaimed fund.
The government cited the following reasons for such inoperative accounts
While the other two reasons are also valid, a large number of inoperative accounts are because of the first reason. The ministry has taken the following steps to simplify the process of claiming the amount from these inoperative accounts.
Here is how you can claim your EPF amount from the Inoperative Account
The EPFO has launched the Inoperative Account Help Desk. By logging onto this helpdesk, one can identify their inoperative account and then make a claim for the amount. First time users can also go through the user manual. Given below is a step by step process of identifying your inoperative EPF account and using the Helpdesk.
Step 1: Submit the details of your problem in not more than 1000 characters
Once you click the first time user button, you will be presented with a screen where you have to describe your problem in not more than 1000 characters.
Step 2: Enter the details of your Employer/Employment
Once you click next, you will be presented with another form where you have to enter details of your previous employer/employment. None of the fields are mandatory. You are advised to provide as many details as possible so that the identification process becomes easier. To assist you with the identification of your employer’s Establishment Code, the portal also has a search option.
You can search for the establishment by location or name or pin code. Once you find the relevant establishment you worked with, select it.
Step 3: Enter your Personal Details
After this, you are asked to enter your personal details. Even here, none of the fields are mandatory except the Name, Mobile Number & Date of Birth. You are advised to provide as many details as possible so that the identification process becomes easier.
Step 4: Mobile Number Verification
Mobile number of the Member will be verified through the PIN sent on his mobile. After the mobile verification, an SMS would be sent to the member communicating his/her reference ID for future reference.
After submitting these details, the EPFO helpdesk will contact the individual and take it forward from there. You could also login and check the status of your issue.
Get your UAN today
To ensure that these issues do not recur in future, it is advised that employees take a UAN (Universal Account Number). The UAN will act as an umbrella for the multiple Member Ids allotted to an individual by different establishments. The idea is to link multiple Member Identification Numbers (Member Id) allotted to a single member under single Universal Account Number. This will help the member to view details of all the Member Identification Numbers (Member Id) linked to it. Employees can get their UAN by registering here.
Are these efforts bearing fruit?
As a result of the efforts, there is a steady rise in the amount paid to beneficiaries from the inoperative accounts. The amount paid to beneficiaries from these inoperative accounts has more than quadrupled from 2011-12 to 2013-14.


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How to make the best use of Right to Information (RTI)?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 12, 2018
The Right to Information Act (RTI) act is now 13 years old. Without a doubt, it made a significant impact in these 13 years. But how to make the best use of this sunshine legislation?
It’s been more than a decade since the Right to Information (RTI) act came into being. It has definitely lived up to the expectation of being one of the most progressive and citizen friendly legislations ever passed in the country. Even according to various global non –profits, the Indian RTI Act is considered one of the most progressive and best laws in the world and serves as a model for similar laws across the world. Scores of citizens, who hitherto had no way of asking questions & seeking information from the government turned into RTI users and started accessing information about the functioning of the government. The act is still in a state of evolution and citizens also should find ways of making the best use of this sunshine legislation. This write up will dwell on the different ways RTI can be used and how that information can be used to effect changes or corrective measures.
According to conservative estimates, more than 6 Million (60 Lakh) RTI applications are filed in the country each year and this number is increasing. While these applications could be on various issues and could have been filed for many different outcomes, the RTI could be broadly used for the following.
All RTI applicants need to think about the utility of the information received before filing an application. Such an approach will help the applicant have a 360 degree view and will also ensure that the information received has the desired impact.
To address Deficiency/Delay in Service Delivery
Many a time, citizen services delivered by the government are deficient in nature. There could be many reasons for the same. It could be due to the lack of ownership from those in the system, lack of understanding/awareness on the citizen’s side, lack of adequate follow up, culture of bribes, corruption etc. The objective of seeking information in this category is to make sure that deficiency in the service delivery is corrected and things get done on time.
There are two ways to tackle this issue. The first one is to ask for information that would result in the delivery of service that could be pending for a long time. This is especially applicable at the grassroots (dealing with local governments or government agencies at the grass roots), where entitlements due to the citizen are either delayed or never given. The kind of information sought could be the rules governing such service delivery, related timelines, status of the specific application of the citizen to get that entitlement, reasons for rejection/delay(if any) and details of punitive/compensatory measures (if any) in case of deficiency/delay in service etc. This is more like asking if there is a citizen’s charter governing the service delivery.
There can only be two possible answers to these set of the questions. Either the official in charge has to respond saying the pending service was delivered (meaning the RTI application has resulted in the delivery of the service) or he/she has to respond with the reasons for the deficiency/delay in service. This information will help the citizen plan the next steps. In certain cases, he might need to submit additional documents etc. The RTI application will invariably work because the Government officials cannot officially accept the delay in service delivery without any cogent reason. So in a way, this is like forcing/reminding them to do their work on time. The expectation is that over time, the response becomes proactive instead of being reactive.
The second approach is one of the frequently asked questions by citizens, about the bad state of public assets like roads. While the citizens would like to know the reasons behind the state of affairs, do remember that RTI only enables us to seek information which is already on government record. So the record will obviously not contain why a specific road is bad, why a certain work was pending etc. The way to tackle this is to follow the ‘Complaint and RTI’ approach. Every Government department has a grievance/compliant redressal system. Most municipal corporations/councils these days have an online/call center grievance registration system. The system may not usually work because there is no adequate follow up mechanism and officials don’t feel the necessity to address such complaints on time. With RTI, this is bound to change since they are mandated to provide information within a timeframe.
The first step is to lodge a formal complaint/grievance using the existing system (get as many people endorse this complaint or file a similar complaint) on any issue of deficient service with the relevant official. Remember this is not a RTI application, but a normal compliant/grievance. Do not forget to get some form of formal acknowledgement for the complaint/grievance filed to be used later. In case of large municipal corporations in cities, this could mean a complaint online with a relevant complaint number.
Once it is filed, wait for a couple of weeks or for such a time frame that is mandated for grievance redressal. Following this,  file an application under RTI asking for the action taken/status of this complaint/grievance and the reasons for not resolving the same. This will now work because the official in charge cannot in writing say that nothing has been done. Each department will have internal rules or a citizen’s charter pertaining to complaint/grievance redressal. He will either forward it to the relevant official or initiate steps to resolve the complaint. Citizens must remember that it might need multiple follow ups. One could also ask for details of funds spent, repairs undertaken (in case of road works etc.) and other such details that could help in understanding the issue in greater detail. Issues that are beyond simple grievances (like new roads or new pipelines) may not get resolved through this approach and they would have to handled differently.
To expose abuse of power/authority, arbitrary decision making etc
Whenever an activist or a citizen smells corruption in a particular scheme/decision, the way forward is to get all the information to prove such deviations. But take adequate care of your personal safety. If there is a looming threat from the corrupt, get a friend or somebody from a far off place to file the application and get the information. You can ask information like the copy of the complete file related to a project, copy of bills, copy of vouchers, copy of tender documents etc that can establish the corruption angle or abuse of power. But, it is always better to consult a subject matter expert before filing the application. This would help understand the issue better and also educate the citizen about the kind of documents created & maintained by the government while executing various works or taking various decisions. For e.g., if the information sought is about a civil work executed by the government, then it would be useful to talk to someone who has worked in that area.
Once the information is received and there is sufficient evidence to prove the wrongdoing, one has to make use of the existing mechanism in the government. One could lodge a complaint with the State/Central Vigilance commission with all the evidence. One could also approach the ACB/CBI or even Lokayuktha/Lokpal wherever applicable. The complainant can later follow up with these agencies as to what happened to these complaints and the status of the investigation. And if the information sought is related to corruption at very high places and the applicant does not want to take a risk, then he/she could approach a media agency that would be interested in taking this up. The other option is to make it public on some public website without revealing your identity. The objective of seeking information is to expose the wrongdoing and initiate some action.
To seek information that can be used for advocacy and other purposes
Quite often, authentic & official government information is required to further the cause one is advocating or to even know official details of a scheme or a project.  It could be data related to farmer suicides, malnutrition or expenditure on foreign visits of the President etc.  The applicant can use this official information in furthering a cause and as evidence in courts of law. The applicant has to ask the right questions to get the right data/information. Make sure you read your application multiple times to check if you are asking the right questions. Again, it might help consulting a subject matter expert before filing an application. Former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi’s effort in getting information about the details of under trials as per Sec 436A of CrPC is a fine example of this.
Applications without any apparent purpose will not help the cause
The RTI act does not mandate the applicant to state reasons for seeking information from the government. But it would be useful if the applicant can think of the follow up action once the information is received. Thinking of the follow up action will greatly enhance the utility of the information being sought, thus making the act itself more powerful. RTI has the power to alter power equations, address gaps in service delivery, expose the corrupt etc., but all this is possible when we learn to use it the right way.
Take the first step
On the 13th anniversary of RTI in India, file your first RTI application online with a Central Government Department.

created: October 12, 2018


text:
How to make the best use of Right to Information (RTI)?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 25, 2017
The Right to Information Act (RTI) act is now more than 12 years old. It has made a significant impact in these 12 years. But how to make the best use of this sunshine legislation?
It’s been more than a decade since the Right to Information (RTI) act came into being. It has definitely lived up to the expectation of being one of the most progressive and citizen friendly legislation ever passed in the country. Even according to various global non –profits, the Indian RTI Act is considered one of the most progressive and best laws in the world and serves as a model for similar laws across the world. Number of citizens who hitherto had no way of asking questions & getting information from the government turned into RTI activists and started accessing information about the functioning of the government. The act is still in a state of evolution and citizens also should find ways of making the best use of this sunshine legislation. This write up will dwell on the different ways RTI can be used and how that information can be used to effect changes or corrective measures.
According to conservative estimates, more than 6 Million (60 Lakh) RTI applications are filed in the country each year and this number is increasing. While these applications could be on various issues and could have been filed for many different outcomes, the RTI could be broadly used for the following.
All RTI applicants need to think about the utility of the information received before filing an application. Such an approach will help the applicant have a 360 degree view and will also ensure that the information received has the desired impact.
To address Deficiency/Delay in Service Delivery
Many a time, citizen services delivered by the government are deficient in nature. There could be many reasons for the same. It could be due to the lack of ownership from those in the system, lack of understanding/awareness on the citizen’s side, lack of adequate follow up, culture of bribes, corruption etc. The objective of seeking information in this category is to make sure that deficiency in the service delivery is corrected and things get done on time.
There are two ways to tackle this issue. The first one is to ask for information that would result in the delivery of service that could be pending for a long time. This is especially applicable at the grassroots (dealing with local governments or government agencies at the grass roots), where entitlements due to the citizen are either delayed or never given. The kind of information sought could be the rules governing such service delivery, related timelines, status of the specific application of the citizen to get that entitlement, reasons for rejection/delay(if any) and details of punitive/compensatory measures (if any) in case of deficiency/delay in service etc. This is more like asking if there is a citizen’s charter governing the service delivery.
There can only be two possible answers to these set of the questions. Either the official in charge has to respond saying the pending service was delivered (meaning the RTI application has resulted in the delivery of the service) or he/she has to respond with the reasons for the deficiency/delay in service. This information will help the citizen plan the next steps. In certain cases, he might need to submit additional documents etc. The RTI application will invariably work because the Government officials cannot officially accept the delay in service delivery without any apparent reason. So in a way, this is like forcing/reminding them to do their work on time. The expectation is that over time, the response becomes proactive instead of being reactive.
The second approach is one of the frequently asked questions by citizens, about the bad state of public assets like roads. While the citizens would like to know the reasons behind the state of affairs, do remember that RTI only enables us to seek information which is already on government record. So the record will obviously not contain why a specific road is bad, why a certain work was pending etc. The way to tackle this is to follow the ‘Complaint and RTI’ approach. Every Government department has a grievance/compliant redressal system. Most municipal corporations/councils these days have an online/call center grievance registration system. The system does not usually work because there is no adequate follow up and officials they don’t feel the necessity to address such complaints on time. With RTI, this is bound to change since they are mandated to provide information within a timeframe. The first step is to lodge a formal complaint/grievance using the existing system (get as many people endorse this complaint or file a similar complaint) on any issue of deficient service with the relevant official. Remember this is not a RTI application, but a normal compliant/grievance. Do not forget to get some form of formal acknowledgement for the complaint/grievance filed to be used later. Once it is filed, wait for a couple of weeks or for such a time frame that is mandated for grievance redressal. Following this,  file an application under RTI asking for the action taken/status of this complaint/grievance and the reasons for not resolving the same. This will now work because the official in charge cannot in writing say that nothing has been done. Each department will have internal rules or a citizen’s charter pertaining to complaint/grievance redressal. He will either forward it to the relevant official or initiate steps to resolve the complaint. Citizens must remember that it might need multiple follow ups. One could also ask for details of funds spent, repairs undertaken (in case of road works etc.) and other such details that could help in understanding the issue in greater detail.
To expose abuse of power/authority, arbitrary decision making etc
Whenever an activist or a citizen smells corruption in a particular scheme/decision, the way forward is to get all the information to prove such deviations. But take adequate care of your personal safety. If there is a looming threat from the corrupt, get a friend or somebody from a far off place to file the application and get the information. You can ask information like the copy of the complete file related to a project, copy of bills, copy of vouchers, copy of tender documents etc that can establish the corruption angle or abuse of power. But, it is always better to consult a subject matter expert before filing the application. This would help understand better about the kind of documents created & maintained by the government while executing various works or taking various decisions. For e.g., if the information sought is about a civil work executed by the government, then it would be useful to talk to someone who has worked in that area.
Once the information is received and there is sufficient evidence to prove the wrongdoing, one has to make use of the existing mechanism in the government. One could lodge a complaint with the State/Central Vigilance commission with all the evidence. One could also approach the ACB/CBI or even Lokayuktha/Lokpal. The complainant can later follow up with these agencies as to what happened to these complaints and the status of the investigation. And if the information sought is related to corruption at very high places and the applicant does not want to take a risk, then he/she could approach a media agency that would be interested in taking this up. The other option is to make it public on some public website without revealing your identity. The objective of seeking information is to expose the wrongdoing and initiate an investigation.
To seek information that can be used for advocacy and other purposes
Quite often, authentic information is required to further the cause one is advocating or to even know authentic details of a scheme or a project.  It could be data related to farmer suicides, malnutrition or expenditure on foreign visits of the President etc.  The applicant can use this authentic information in furthering a cause and as evidence in courts of law. The applicant has to ask the right questions to get the right data/information. Make sure you read your application multiple times to check if you are asking the right questions. Again, it might help consulting a subject matter expert before filing an application. Former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi’s effort in getting information about the details of under trials as per Sec 436A of CrPC is a fine example of this.
Applications without any apparent purpose will not help the cause
The RTI act does not mandate the applicant to state reasons for seeking information from the government. But it would be useful if the applicant can think of the follow up action once the information is received. Thinking of the follow up action will greatly enhance the utility of the information being sought, thus making the act itself more powerful. RTI has the power to alter power equations, address gaps in service delivery, expose the corrupt etc., but all this is possible when we learn to use it the right way.
Take the first step
On this good governance day, file your first RTI application online with a Central Government Department.

created: December 25, 2017


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How to Verify & Authenticate Individual & Family Voter ID details on the NVSP portal? - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 19, 2019
This year, the ECI has launched the Electoral Verification Program (EVP) making it easier for all voters & potential voters to verify individual & family details on the electoral rolls.
In this video, we explain how to verify one’s own details, polling station feedback, family listing & authentication, and how to enrol the unenrolled members in your family on the National Voter Service Portal (NVSP)
For detailed reading,
In DECODE Lite, we simplify & explain current issues related to government policy, government rules and many other issues  that are useful & relevant to the common man.

created: September 19, 2019


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How true are government claims about Mobile Handset manufacturing?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 30, 2019
In this article, we fact check the government claims about Mobile
Handset manufacturing.
TheBJP government published an infographic on the 48-months portal that makes threeclaims about mobile manufacturing in India. This article is a fact check of theclaims.
How many mobile
manufacturing units have been set up?
Thefirst claim is that ‘Mobile manufacturing units set up (Then 2, Now
120)’.
Asper information shared in the Lok Sabha in February 2019, a total of 127 units are manufacturingmobile handsets in the country and all of them are operating from the DomesticTariff Area (DTA). The annual report (2017-18) of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY)states that ‘the Mobile handsets sector
has emerged as the champion category under the ‘Make in India’ initiative of
the Government. There has been massive growth in Mobile handsets and components
manufacturing and India has emerged as the new manufacturing destination for
mobile handsets and components. Mobile handsets and components manufacturing
activity continued to accelerate during 2017-18. As many as 120 manufacturing
units of Mobile handsets and components have been set up in India during the
past three years. Out of these, about 59 units are producing mobile handsets
and rest of them are engaged in manufacturing various components of mobile
handsets, such as chargers/ adapters, battery packs, wired headsets, mechanical
parts, USB cables etc., spread across India’.
As many as 120 manufacturing units have been set up in India during the BJP rule. As per a response in the Rajya Sabha, there were three (3) mobile manufacturing units in India as of May 2014, when the current government took over. The Nokia unit in Tamil Nadu closed down in November 2014.
Claim: Mobile manufacturing units set up (Then 2, Now 120).
Fact: It is true that 120 units have been set up in the past three years and
there were 3 such units by the time the current government took over in May 2014.  Hence, the claim is PARTLY TRUE.
How many mobile handsets are produced?
The second claim is that ‘mobile handsets produced (Then 6 Cr, Now
22.5 Cr)’.
The following table has been compiledfrom the data provided in the annual
reports of MEITY. The data shows that therehas been an increase in the number of mobile handsets manufactured in thecountry between 2014 and 2018. The increase is so dramatic between thefinancial years of 2014-15 and 2015-16 owing to the closing down of the Nokia manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu. Hence, it can be seen that thenumber of handsets produced in 2014-15 was 5.8 crores and in 2017-18 in 22.5crores.
While the increase between the firstyear of this government (2014-15) and 2017-18 is more than three times, it hasto be noted that the comparison is with the worst year. Moreover, thecomparision should have been with the last year of the UPA (2013-14) when 13crore handsets were manufactured. Further, in 2012-13, an estimated 18 crorehandsets were manufactured. More than 12 crore handsets were produced annually from the 2008 onwards. Even with a largeincrease in the number of manufacturing units, the number of handsetsmanufactured in India hasn’t increased proportionally.
Claim: Mobile handsets produced (Then 6 Cr, Now 22.5 Cr).
Fact: While it is true that the number of handsets produced in 2014-15 was 5.8 crores and in 2017-18 in 22.5 crores, it has to be noted that the comparison is with the worst year. Moreover, the comparison should have been with the last year of the UPA (2013-14) when 13 crore handsets were manufactured. Further,  in 2012-13, an estimated 18 crore handsets were manufactured. More than 12 crore handsets were produced annually from the 2008 onwards. Even with a large increase in the number of manufacturing units, the number of handsets manufactured in India hasn’t increased proportionally. Hence the claim is MISLEADING.
What is the worth of handsets produced?
The last claim is that ‘worth of mobile handsets produced (Then
18,992 crores, Now 1.32 lakh crore)’.
The annual report  (2017-18) of MEITY states that ‘the production of Mobile handsets grew to
approx. 90,000 crore in 2016-17 compared to 54,000 crore in 2015-16, exhibiting
a growth rate of about 66%, whereas, the production of Mobile handsets is
estimated to be about 1,32,000 crore in 2017-18’.
While the 2017-18 numbers are true, the numbersof 2013-14 are wrong. the value of handsets produced in 2013-14 was around 26650crores.
Claim: Worth of mobile handsets produced (Then 18,992 crore, Now 1.32 lakh crore).
Fact: The production of Mobile handsets is estimated to be about 1,32,000 crores in 2017-18. The value of handsets for the year 2013-14 was 26650 crores and not 18990 crores. Hence, the claim is only PARTLY TRUE.
This story is part of a larger series on the 4-years of the Modi government. This series has been made possible with the flash grant of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN). Read the rest of the stories in this series here


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How true are government claims about programs for elimination of Tuberculosis
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 30, 2019
The BJP government published an infographic on the 48-months portal. It makes three claims about eliminating tuberculosis (TB) in India. This article is a fact check of the claims made.
The BJP government published an infographic on the 48-months portal. It makes three claims about eliminating tuberculosis (TB) in India. This article is a fact check of the claims made.
How many centers are providing treatment for drug sensitive TB?
The first claim is that ‘treatment for drug sensitive TB is provided through 4,00,000 DOT centers’.
The annual report  (2017-18) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) states that ‘the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP), based on the internationally recommended Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) strategy, was launched in 1997 expanded across the country in a phased manner with nation-wide coverage of RNTCP was achieved in March, 2006. In terms of treatment of patients, RNTCP has been recognized as the largest and the fastest expanding TB control programme in the world’.
The annual report also goes on to describe that one of the achievements of the programme is that ‘the RNTCP is implemented with decentralized services of TB diagnosis through 14000 Designated microscopy Centers and treatment available in every village in the country through 4 lakh DOT centers’.  While this number is true, a response in the Lok Sabha from 2012 makes it clear that there were already close to 4 lakh (3.97 lakh to be precise) DOTS centers in India by 2012. Hence the claim is misleading.
Claim: Treatment for drug sensitive TB is provided through 4,00,000 DOT centers.
Fact: The RNTCP is implemented with decentralized services of TB diagnosis through 14000 Designated microscopy Centers and treatment available in every village in the country through 4 lakh DOT centers. While this number is true, a response in the Lok Sabha from 2012 makes it clear that there were already close to 4 lakh (3.97 lakh to be precise) DOTS centers in India by 2012. Hence, the claim is MISLEADING.
How many people were covered under the house to house screening of TB symptoms?
The second claim is that ‘house to house screening of TB symptoms covering 5.5 crore population under active case finding’.
The annual report  (2017-18) of the MOHFW points out the new initiatives in the process of eliminating TB and states that ‘to reach the unreached, the Active Case Finding programme has carried out systematic active TB screening among high risk populations through house visits or targeted setting visit (Tribal population, slums, old age homes, prisons, orphanages, transit camps, etc.)’.
A response in Lok Sabha from 2018 stated that ‘active case findings for reaching the unreached vulnerable population in more than 500 districts so far’.
The Active Case Finding is part of the  National Strategic Plan (NSP) (2017-25) formulated under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) that  targets elimination of TB by 2025.
As per the India TB Report of 2018, three phases of active case finding in vulnerable population were conducted till December 2017. In the third phase, 378 districts were covered and around 5.5 crore population screened and 26781 TB cases were diagnosed.
Claim: House to house screening of TB symptoms covering 5.5 crore population under active case finding.
Fact: As per the India TB Report of 2018, three phases of active case finding in vulnerable population were conducted till December 2017. In the third phase, 378 districts were covered and around 5.5 crore population screened and 26781 TB cases were diagnosed. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
Is monthly nutrition support being provided for patients with DBT?
The third claim is that ‘500 rupees monthly nutritional support to patients for the duration of treatment through DBT’.
A response in Lok Sabha from 2018 has pointed out that ‘incentives for nutritional and financial support to the TB patients @ Rs. 500/- per patient per month has been proposed in the General Budget 2018’.
A press release of the government from March 2018 also confirms this support.
The guidance document for nutritional care and support to TB patients was launched on World TB Day (24th March) 2017.
Claim: 500 rupees monthly nutritional support to patients for the duration of treatment through DBT.
Fact: Incentives for nutritional and financial support to the TB patients @ Rs. 500/- per patients per month has been proposed in the general budget 2018. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
This story is part of a larger series on the 4-years of the Modi government. This series has been made possible with the flash grant of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN). Read the rest of the stories in this series here


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How true are government claims about the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 13, 2019
The government
published an infographic that makes claims about the performance of Pradhan
Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). Here is a fact-check.
The BJP government published an infographic about its achievementson maternal health. The infographic was published on the 48-months portal and makes four claimsabout the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). This article is a factcheck of the claims.
What is the PMMVY?
The first claim is that the PMMVY is ‘providing
economic support to pregnant women and lactating mothers’.
The Government approved pan-Indiaimplementation of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), a centrallysponsored conditional cash transfer scheme in May. As per the informationavailable,  the Ministry of Women andChild Development (MWCD) is implementing PMMVY with the objectives of
While the total number of beneficiariesenrolled for the scheme is 56.29 lakh as of December 2018, the number ofbeneficiaries who got paid the money are 46.54 lakh. A similar programexisted during the UPA, known as the Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY). The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) was also implemented during the UPA. JSY was seen to havegiven positive results.
Claim: Providing economic support to pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Fact: The PMMVY scheme is for providing partial compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentive so that the woman can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first child. Hence, the claim is TRUE. However, similar schemes existed during the UPA as well and the PMMVY is applicable during the birth of the first child only.
What is the amount of cash incentive being given to
pregnant women?
The second claim is that ‘cash incentive of 6000 rupees to the
pregnant/lactating women to help her recover’.
According to an answer in Lok Sabha ‘the maternity
benefit under PMMVY is available to the eligible beneficiaries for first living
child of family. Normally, the first pregnancy of a woman exposes her to new
kinds of challenges and stress factors. Hence, the scheme provides support to
the mother for the safe delivery and immunization of her first child. Under the
scheme Rs. 5,000  is provided to the eligible beneficiary in three
installments. The eligible beneficiary also receives the remaining cash
incentive as per approved norms towards maternity benefit under Janani Suraksha
Yojana (JSY) after institutional delivery so that on an average, a woman gets
Rs.6,000’.
Claim: Cash incentive of 6000 rupees to the pregnant/lactating women to help her recover.
Fact: The eligible beneficiaries of the scheme receive Rs. 5000 in 3 installments. An additional Rs. 1000 given to the beneficiary under the Janani Suraksha Yojana, which was launched in 2005 during the UPA.  Hence, the claim is MISLEADING.
Is the scheme ensuring timely check-ups?
The third claim is thatit is ‘ensuring timely check-ups’.  One of the three conditions of being eligible for the scheme is that the woman musthave received at least on ante-natal check-up (after 6 months of pregnancy).The other two are early registration of pregnancy and registration of the childbirth & vaccination of the child. The money is paid in three installmentsdepending on the beneficiary meeting the criteria. This guarantees one check-up.The entire scheme of check-ups and other criteria is very similar to the Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY).
Claim: Ensuring timely check-ups.
Fact: One of the preconditions of the scheme is that the woman must have received at least on ante-natal check-up (after 6 months of pregnancy). This mandates only one check-up 6 months after the pregnancy and no continuity. And also, almost all the criteria are similar to the UPA scheme Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana. Hence, the claim that PMMVY ensures timely check-ups is MISLEADING.
How many women are benefitting every year?
The fourth claim is that ‘more than 50 lakh women expected to benefit
every year’. The maternity benefitsunder PMMVY are available to the eligible beneficiaries for first living childof family. About 51.70 lakh beneficiaries arecovered annually under PMMVY. However, it has to be noted that this is theexpected number of beneficiaries every year and the actual number of women whoreceived the amount could be higher or lower than 50 lakh.
Claim: More than 50 lakh women expected to benefit every year.
Fact: About 51.70 lakh beneficiaries are covered annually under PMMVY. Hence, this is the number of people covered and not the number of people might receive the cash transfer. Hence, the claim that the scheme is expected to benefit more than 50 lakh is TRUE.
This story is part of a larger series on the 4-years of the Modi government. This series has been made possible with the flash grant of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN). Read the rest of the stories in this series here


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How true are the claims about the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 15, 2019
The government made four claims about the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA). How true are these claims?
The BJP government has published an infographic that makes claimsabout the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) on the 48-months portal. This article is afact check of the claims.
What is the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan?
The first claim is that the Pradhan MantriSurakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) was ‘launched to ensure good health of mother and
child’.
According to the official website, ‘the PMSMA has
been launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW),
Government of India. The program aims to provide assured, comprehensive and
quality antenatal care, free of cost, universally to all pregnant women on the
9th of every month. PMSMA guarantees a minimum package of antenatal care
services to women in their 2nd/3rd trimesters of pregnancy at designated
government health facilities’.
As per the official website, the PMSMAenvisages improvement in the quality and coverage of Antenatal Care (ANC)including diagnostics and counselling services as part of the ReproductiveMaternal Neonatal Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) Strategy
Claim: Launched to ensure good health of mother and child.
Fact: The scheme envisages improvement in the quality and coverage of Antenatal Care (ANC) including diagnostics and counselling services. However, the claim is vague and it states the goal of the program. Hence, the claim remains UNVERIFIED.
How many health facilities are available in the
country?
The second claim is that‘more than 12900 health facilities across all state/UT’. As per datashared in the Lok Sabha in July 2018, since itsinception in 2016, free quality antenatal services are provided to all pregnantwomen visiting 13047 PMSMA sites across the country.The website shows that there are 13,222 facilities providingPMSMA services as of on 8 April 2019.
Claim: More than 12900 health facilities across all state/UT.
Fact: As of July 2018, there are more than 13000 centers offering PMSMA services. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
Have one crore ante natal check-ups been conducted?
The third claim is that‘more than 1.16 crore antenatal check-ups have been conducted as of January’.
According to the official website, ‘the program aims
to provide assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care, free of cost,
universally to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month. PMSMA guarantees a
minimum package of antenatal care services to women in their 2nd/3rd trimesters
of pregnancy at designated government health facilities’.
In a question answered in the Lok Sabha in July 2018, it is stated that ‘since its
inception in 2016, free quality antenatal services are provided to all pregnant
women visiting 13047 PMSMA sites across the country. Over 1.35 crore antenatal
check-ups have been conducted under the progamme till date’.
However, this is not the first ever programon antenatal care. The previous governments also had dedicated antenatal care programs.
Claim: More than 1.16 crore antenatal check-ups have been conducted as of January.
Fact: 1.35 crore antenatal check-ups have been conducted under the progamme. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
How many high risk pregnancies have been identified?
The fourth claim is that“More than 6 lakh high risk pregnancies
identified’.
One of the critical components of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan is identificationand follow-up of high risk pregnancies. Since its inception in 2016, Over 7 lakh women with high risk conditions have been identified.
Claim: More than 6 lakh high risk pregnancies identified.
Fact: Since its inception in 2016, over 7 lakh women with high risk conditions have been identified. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
This story is part of a larger series on the 4-years of the Modi government. This series has been made possible with the flash grant of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN). Read the rest of the stories in this series here


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How true are the government’s claims about the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 26, 2019
Here is a fact-check of
the government claims on the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme.
The BJP government published an infographic on the 48-months portal that makes five claimsabout the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme. This article is a fact checkof those claims.
Did the Sex Ratio at birth improve?
The first claim is that ‘Sex ratio at birth improved in 104
identified districts’.
As per government’s response in the LokSabha, ‘in order to address the declining
Child Sex Ratio, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme (BBBP) is implemented, which
addresses the issues of women empowerment and aims to change mind-sets to value
girl child. It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child
Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development. The
key elements of the scheme include nation-wide awareness and advocacy campaign
and multi-sectoral interventions, which include tighter enforcement of
Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act,
Pre-Natal/ Post Natal care of mother, improve enrolment of girls in schools,
construction of girl’s toilets, community engagement/ training etc. The Scheme
is currently implemented in all 640 districts (as per census 2011) of the
Country through Multi-sectoral intervention and alert District Media &
Advocacy in 405 districts and alert District Media & Advocacy in 235
districts. The scheme is administered through District appropriate authority by
providing 100% financial grant-in-aid to the selected districts and funds are
directly transferred to the concerned districts’.
This Ministry has not made any impactassessment of the scheme. However, as per the latest available reports ofHealth Management Information System (HMIS) and data of Ministry of Health andFamily Welfare for 161 districts selected under BBBP during 2014-15 and 2015-16,(for the time period between April-March, 2015-16 & 2016- 17), an improving trend in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) is visible in 104 districts, 119 districts have reported progress infirst trimester registration against the reported Anti Natal Care registrationsand 146 districts have reported improvement in institutional deliveries.
Claim: Sex ratio at birth improved in 104 identified districts.
Fact: The latest available reports of the health management information system indicate that for the time period between April-March 2015-16 and 2016-17, an improving trend in sex ratio at birth (SRB) is visible in 104 districts. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
Are there Multiple Scholarships for the education of girls?
The second claim is that ‘Multiple scholarship for education of girls’.
As per a release of the press information bureau, there are a number of scholarships that are available for girl children. Some of these are:
However, it has to be noted that most ofthese schemes have been initiated years before the BJP government came intopower. Some of these schemes are even continuing as they were, while someschemes have been slightly modified.
Claim: Multiple scholarship for education of girls.
Fact: There are multiple scholarships available for the education of girl children. However, most of them were initiated and implemented long before the BJP government came into power. Hence, the claim is MISLEADING.
Has there been a raise in enrollment of girls in secondary schools?
The third claim is that ‘Rising enrollment of girls in secondary
schools’.
At the secondary level, both the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and Net Enrolment Ratio (NER)  of girls has been increasing as per the government data. At the sametime, the drop out ratio of girls at the secondary level has increased from17.79 in 2014-15 to 19.81 in 2016-17.
Claim: Rising enrollment of girls in secondary schools.
Fact: At the secondary level, both the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) of girls has been increasing as per the government data. Hence, the claim is TRUE. However, the drop out ratio of girls at the secondary level has increased from 17.79 in 2014-15 to 19.81 in 2016-17.
Has there been progress in first trimester registration?
The fourth claim is that ‘119 districts have reported progress in
first trimester registration’.
Data provided in the Lok Sabha states that, under the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme ‘119 districts have reported progress in
first trimester registration against the reported Anti Natal Care
registrations’.  Promoting theregistration of pregnancies in the first trimester in one of the sectoral intervention under this scheme.
Claim: 119 districts have reported progress in first trimester registration.
Fact: 119 districts have reported progress in first trimester registration against the reported Anti Natal Care registrations. Hence, the claim is TRUE.
Has there been an improvement in number of institutional deliveries?
The last claim is that ‘146 districts have reported improvement in
institutional deliveries’.
A response in Lok Sabha statesthat ‘146 districts have reported
improvement in institutional deliveries’.  In this context, it has to also be notedthat the provisions for improving institutional deliveries was provided underthe Janani SurakshaYojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK)which entitles all pregnant womendelivering in public health institutions to absolutely free ante-natalcheck-ups, delivery including Caesarean section, post-natal care and treatmentof sick infants till one year of age.
A significant increase has been achieved ininstitutional deliveries since introduction of Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)i.e. from 47% in 2007-08 to 74.4% 2012-13. Progress is also evident withdecline in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) from 212 in 2007-09 to 167 in2011-13.
Claim: 146 districts have reported improvement in institutional deliveries.
Fact: 146 districts have reported improvement in institutional deliveries. However, since major schemes towards this improvement have been initiated more than a decade before the BJP government, this claim is MISLEADING.
This story is part of a larger series on the 4-years of the Modi government. This series has been made possible with the flash grant of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN). Read the rest of the stories in this series here


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[Explainer Video]: How was the 'Constitution of India' made?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 25, 2019
On this Republic Day, learn how the ‘Constitution of India’ was made. This explainer video touches upon the important milestones and numbers related to the drafting & adoption of the ‘Constitution of India’

created: January 25, 2019


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How well do you know the Flag Code of India
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 15, 2019
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regularly issues an advisory to all the State/UT governments to give wide publicity to the rules governing the display of the National Flag to increase awareness of the Flag Code of India. How well do you know our Flag Code?
The Flag Code of India, 2002 is a compilation of all the laws, conventions, practices, instructions & guidelines that govern the display of the National Flag. Knowingly or unknowingly, many citizens violate the flag code. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regularly issues advisories to all States & Union Territories to ensure strict compliance of the flag code on important national events. Even this year, an advisory was issued recently. But, how well do you know the Flag Code?
Size & Shape of the National Flag
The National Flag should be rectangular in shape with the ratio of length to the width as 3:2. There are various standard sizes of the national flag prescribed by the flag code. An appropriate size is to be chosen for display. 450X300 mm size is to be used for aircrafts on VVIP flights,  225X150 mm size for motor-cars and 150X100 mm size for table flags.
Rules governing Display of  National Flag by Citizens, Private & Educational Organizations
There is no restriction on the display of National Flag by members of the general public, private organizations, educational institutions etc provided they follow all the prescribed rules. The following important things have to be kept in mind.
Display over Public Buildings/Official Residences
The National Flag should be flown only on important public buildings such as High Courts, Secretariats, Commissioners’ Offices, Collectorates, Jails and offices of the District Boards, Municipalities and Zilla Parishads and Departmental/Public Sector Undertakings. The flag shall be flown on these buildings on all days including Sundays and will be flown from sun-rise to sun-set irrespective of weather conditions
The National Flag should be flown on the official residences of the President, Vice- President, Governors and Lieutenant Governors when they are at Headquarters and on the building in which they stay during their visits to places outside the Headquarters.
The Flag should be flown from sun-rise to sun-set on such official residences, irrespective of whether the dignitary is at Headquarters or not on the –Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, National Week (6th to 13th April, in the memory of martyrs of Jalianwala Bagh), any other particular day of national rejoicing as may be specified by the Government of India or, in the case of a State, on the anniversary of formation of that State.
Display on Motor Cars
The privilege of flying the National Flag on motor cars is limited to the following. When a foreign dignitary travels in a car provided by Government, the National Flag will be flown on the right side of the car and the Flag of the foreign countries will be flown on the left side of the car.
Avoid Plastic Flags & Display paper Flags
The MHA has advised avoiding plastic flags since plastic flags are not biodegradable like paper flags and do not get decomposed for a long time. Moreover, ensuring appropriate disposal of National Flags made of plastic commensurate with dignity of the flag, is a practical problem.  Flags made of paper can be used by public and such paper Flags should not be discarded or thrown on the ground after the event. Such Flags are to be disposed of, in private, consistent with the dignity of the Flag. The MHA advised States/UTs to give wide publicity, for not using the National Flag made of plastic.
Insult to the National Flag will attract a prison term of 3 years
As per Section 2 of ‘The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971’– Whoever in any public place or in any other place within public view bums, mutilates, defaces, defiles, disfigures, destroys, tramples upon or otherwise shows disrespect to or brings into contempt (whether by words, either spoken or written, or by acts) the Indian National Flag or any part shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine, or with both.
Featured Image: Red Fort on Independence Day


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HRIDAY - Initiative of Ministry of Urban Development - Infographic - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 20, 2015
Did you know about HRIDAY (Heritage City Development & Augmentation Yojana) of Government of India? Infographic presenting the 12 Heritage Cities that are going to be developed under HRIDAY.

created: January 20, 2015


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ಜಾಹೀರಾತು ಚಿತ್ರೀಕರಣದ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ತೆಗೆದ ಫೋಟೋವನ್ನು ಕೋಲ್ಕತ್ತಾದ ಐಎಎಸ್ ಟಾಪರ್ ಎಂದು ತಪ್ಪಾಗಿ ಹಂಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗಿದೆ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 24, 2019
ಅನೇಕ ಫೇಸ್‌ಬುಕ್ ಬಳಕೆದಾರರು ಹುಡುಗಿಯೊಬ್ಬಳು ರಿಕ್ಷಾಎಳೆಯುವ ಫೋಟೋದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ ಹಂಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ,ಆ ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ವೃದ್ಧನೊಬ್ಬ ರಿಕ್ಷಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಳಿತಿದ್ದ. ಅವರು ಹುಡುಗಿ ಕೋಲ್ಕತ್ತಾದ ಐಎಎಸ್ ಟಾಪರ್ ಮತ್ತು ವೃದ್ಧೆ ಅವಳ ತಂದೆ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿಕೊಂಡರು.ಪೋಸ್ಟ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಡಿದ ಹಕ್ಕುಗಳನ್ನು ವಿಶ್ಲೇಷಿಸಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸೋಣ.
ಪ್ರತಿಪಾದನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೈಯಿಂದ ರಿಕ್ಷಾ ಎಳೆಯುವ ಹುಡುಗಿ ಕೋಲ್ಕತ್ತಾದ ಐಎಎಸ್ ಟಾಪರ್ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಲಾಗಿದೆ.
ಸತ್ಯ: ಫೋಟೋದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಹುಡುಗಿ ಶರಮನ್‌ಪೋದಾರ್ ಎಂಬ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಕ. ‘ವೈಲ್ಡ್‌ಕ್ರಾಫ್ಟ್’ ಬ್ಯಾಗ್‌ಗಳ ಜಾಹೀರಾತು ಚಿತ್ರೀಕರಣದ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಫೋಟೋವನ್ನು ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ, ಈ ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ತಪ್ಪಾಗಿದೆ.
ಈ ಫೋಟೋವನ್ನು ಮೊದಲ ಬಾರಿಗೆ 2018 ರಲ್ಲಿ ತಮಿಳುನಾಡು ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಮುಖಂಡ ಡಾ.ಜೆ.ಅಸ್ಲಾಮ್ ಬಾಷಾ ಅವರು “ಐಎಎಸ್ ಟಾಪರ್” ಎಂಬ ನಿರೂಪಣೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಟ್ವೀಟ್ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ, ಅವರ ತಂದೆಯನ್ನು ಜನರಿಗೆ ಪರಿಚಯಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಅವಳ ಮತ್ತು ಅವಳ ತಂದೆಗೆ ಗ್ರ್ಯಾಂಡ್ ಸೆಲ್ಯೂಟ್. ”ಈ ಫೋಟೋ ಈಗ ಮತ್ತೆ ಅದೇ ವಿವರಣೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸುತ್ತುಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದೆ.
ಈ ಫೋಟೋವನ್ನು ಗೂಗಲ್ ರಿವರ್ಸ್ ಇಮೇಜ್ ಹುಡುಕಾಟದ ಮೂಲಕ ಚಲಾಯಿಸಿದಾಗ, ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್ 2018 ರಲ್ಲಿ ‘ವೈಲ್ಡ್ ಕ್ರಾಫ್ಟ್’ ಬ್ಯಾಗ್‌ಗಳ ಜಾಹೀರಾತು ಚಿತ್ರೀಕರಣದ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಅದನ್ನು ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ.
ಹ್ಯಾಂಡ್ ರಿಕ್ಷಾ ಎಳೆಯುವ ಹುಡುಗಿ ಶರಮನ್‌ಪೋದಾರ್ ಎಂಬ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಕ. ಅದೇ ಫೋಟೋವನ್ನು ಅವಳ ಇನ್ಸ್ಟಾಗ್ರಾಮ್ ಖಾತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ mishti.and.meat ನಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡಬಹುದು. ಫೋಟೋ ವಿವರಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ, ಕೋಲ್ಕತ್ತಾದ ಜಾಹೀರಾತು ಚಿತ್ರೀಕರಣದ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ, ಕೋಲ್ಕತ್ತಾದ ಶೋಭಾ ಬಜಾರ್‌ನ ಬೀದಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ರಿಕ್ಷಾವನ್ನು ಎಳೆಯುವಾಗ ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಳಿತುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಹಳೆಯ ರಿಕ್ಷಾ ಎಳೆಯುವವನನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಅವರು ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ, ಫೋಟೋದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಮುದುಕ ತನ್ನ ತಂದೆಯಲ್ಲ.
ಒಟ್ಟಾರೆಯಾಗಿ ಹೇಳುವುದಾದರೆ, ಫೋಟೋದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಹುಡುಗಿ ಕೋಲ್ಕತ್ತಾದ ಐಎಎಸ್ ಟಾಪರ್ ಅಲ್ಲ ಮತ್ತು ರಿಕ್ಷಾದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಮುದುಕ ಅವಳ ತಂದೆಯಲ್ಲ.

created: October 24, 2019


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Hyderabad city is not on high alert. News on women missing in large numbers is not true - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 13, 2019
A post is being shared on Facebook with the claim that the Hyderabad city is on high alert as 500+ missing cases were reported in the last 45 days. The post also alerts the women in the city to be careful and reach home early in the nights. The same claim is being shared on Facebook and other social media platforms with various videos and photos. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Hyderabad city is on high alert. 43 women missing cases on this Saturday alone from the city and outskirts. Reasons unknown. Request to all the females to avoid travelling in the nights, alone and deserted areas.
Fact:  The DGP of the Telangana State Police condemned all these rumors. He clarified through his official Twitter account that most of the registered missing cases in the city were due to people’s individual problems such as family, love affair, examinations failure, admonishing by parents, etc. Also, the DGP explained that in more than 85 per cent of the cases, the persons have been traced and in the remaining cases, necessary efforts are being undertaken to resolve them swiftly. He urged the citizens not to share the rumors and create panic in the city. He also warned people spreading the rumors that necessary legal action will be taken if not stopped. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE
In most of the posts on this issue, a reference to an Eenadu article on the missing people is given. So, when searched for any article in Eenadu on this topic, it was found that the newspaper published an article regarding the missing people in the city on 11 June 2019.
In the Eenadu article, two main things can be observed. First, the article gives reasons for the missing cases. One of the primary reason given for the missing cases was love affairs. People are running away from houses with their lovers willingly. But the posts on social media are creating a fear psychosis in the people by not telling the reasons for missing and further asking women to stay safe. The DGP of Telangana has condemned all these rumors by tweeting the reasons for the missing cases on his official Twitter account.
Second, the Eenadu article alleges that the missing cases get a lukewarm response from the police officials. But the DGP through a press release also condemned this allegation by clarifying that 85 per cent of the people in the missing cases reported last year were traced and necessary efforts were being made to trace the remaining people. The DGP through his Twitter account, also, responded to the Eenadu article on 500+ missing cases by tweeting the list containing the information on the status of the missing cases. Also, the Hyderabad City Police Commissioner also tweeted that rumors being spread on social media are fake.
pic.twitter.com/7ZHd7H7rsC
The DGP tweeted asking people not to share these rumors and create panic in the city. He also warned that the necessary legal action will be taken on the persons sharing these rumors. Also, according to the Government of India’s National Crime Records Bureau 2016 data, in 2016, 16134 missing cases were reported in the state of Telangana i.e. a daily average of 44 missing cases. So, the current missing numbers are not alarmingly high from the previous numbers.
To sum it up, Hyderabad city is not on high alert. News on women missing in large numbers is not true.
Did you watch our Facebook live on Fake News (Misinformation)


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Hyderabad Ranganatha Swamy Temple falsely shared as Lakshmi Temple in Madhya Pradesh - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 6, 2020
Video of a temple grandly decorated with lights is being shared on social media claiming it as the decoration for Lakshmi pooja at a temple in Madhya Pradesh. Sharing this video, the post claims 100 crores worth of gold was spent on the decoration of this temple. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
A temple in Madhya Pradesh decorated with 100 crores worth of gold for Lakshmi pooja.
Fact: Video in the post shows Vaikunta Ekadashi celebrations in Ranganatha Swamy temple, located in Hyderabad city of Telangana. It is not related to the celebrations of Lakshmi pooja at a temple in Madhya Pradesh. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of screenshots in the posted video, we found a video showing the similar visuals in a YouTube channel. It is mentioned in the description of the video that it shows the celebrations of Vaikunta Ekadashi festival in Hyderabad Ranganatha Swamy temple. When searched for more sources using these keywords, we found a video posted in the official YouTube channel of ‘ETV Telangana’ on ‘6 January 2020’. Showing the similar visuals where it is mentioned that video shows the celebrations of Vaikunta Ekadashi festival in Jiyaguda Ranganatha Swamy Temple.
Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple in Hyderabad celebrates the Vaikunta Ekadashi festival every year in a grand fashion by decorating the temple.  Videos related to the past celebrations of Vaikunta Ekadashi in this temple can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, celebrations in Hyderabad Ranganatha Swamy Temple are being falsely portrayed as the Gold decorated Lakshmi Temple in Madhya Pradesh.
Did you watch our new video?

created: August 6, 2020


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Hyper-realistic silicon sculpture falsely portrayed as a dangerous animal spotted in Darbhanga, Bihar - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 3, 2021
A video is being shared on social media claiming that a dangerous animal creature has fallen from the sky near Darbhanga in Bihar. The video shares few visuals of an alleged creepy creature. This post claims that the animal had fallen to the Earth during Cyclone Yaas. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of a dangerous animal creature spotted at Darbhanga in Bihar.
Fact: The creature in the video is not real. It is a hyper-realistic silicon sculpture made by an Italian artist – ‘Laira Maganuco’. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, similar photos of the alleged creature are found in a Facebook post by Laira Maganuco on 03 October 2018. The description of the photo states, ‘single piece silicone armadillo hybrid’. The alleged creature in the video is a hyper-realistic silicon sculpture created by an Italy-based Hyper Realism Silicon Sculptor, Laira Maganuco.  She had also shared a video related to this sculpture on her Facebook page.
Laira Maganuco has posted the same photo on her Instagram handle with the description – ‘armadillo hybrid’. Information regarding the ‘real’ Armadillos can be found on the ‘National Geographic’ website.
The same sculpture is also for sale on the ‘Etsy’ website. In the product description, it can be read that it has been ‘carved entirely by hand in acetic silicone paste’. Laira Maganuco has shared multiple other images of silicon sculptures on her Instagram handle. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the video shared in the post shows a hyper-realistic silicon sculpture, not a real one.
To sum it up, a hyper-realistic silicon sculpture falsely portrayed as a dangerous animal spotted at Darbhanga in Bihar.


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Ice Creams & Frozen Desserts are both primarily made from milk/milk derivatives - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 19, 2023
A video is circulating on social media claiming that the products named ‘Frozen Dessert’ do not contain milk/milk derivatives, that they are made only with vegetable oil, and the products named ice cream are made with milk/milk derivatives. Let’s verify the claim made in this post.
Claim: Only ice cream is made with milk/milk ingredients. Products named ‘Frozen Dessert’ are made only with vegetable oil.
Fact: Ice cream and frozen desserts, both products, contain milk/milk derivatives in their ingredients. However, the difference between the both is in the source of fat used in the making of the product. For ice cream, fat extracted from milk is used; on the other hand, vegetable oil is used instead of milk fat for preparing frozen desserts. Both milk fat and vegetable oil have their own merits and demerits based on the quantity and the way they are being used. Hence the claim made in the post is Misleading.
First, to know the facts in this regard, we looked at the details on the packets of frozen desserts made by brands like Kwality Wall’s, Cream Bell, and Dairy Day. The packs state that these are made with milk/milk solids. Milk solid is the material that remains after water is separated from milk. Based on this, it is not accurate to say that the frozen dessert is made with only vegetable oil instead of milk.
According to FSSAI norms, companies using vegetable oil/fat or vegetable protein in ice cream must label their products as frozen desserts, not ice cream.
Why is vegetable oil used in ice cream?
Usually, fat from milk is used to prepare ice cream. It helps to enhance the ice cream’s taste, consistency, texture, etc. But some companies also use vegetable oil (coconut oil, palm oil etc.), cocoa butter etc., as an alternative to milk fat. Companies choose alternatives for reasons such as reducing fat content, adding special flavours, availability of the alternative material at a lower price than milk fat, etc.
Vegetable oil and milk fat, which is better?
Compared to frozen dessert made with vegetable oil, ice cream made with milk fat is generally higher in saturated fats and cholesterol. Taking too much of these can lead to heart-related diseases. However, there are different opinions on the effect of Trans fat which is present in some types of vegetable oils. But doctors warn that any ice cream/frozen dessert can lead to many health problems if consumed frequently and large quantities.
Amul vs Kwality Wall’s Case:
In 2017, Hindustan Unilever, the owner of Kwality Wall’s, filed a case in the court that two commercials (here & here) released by Amul had created a false impression of their products. Amul said in these advertisements that Vanaspathi (Dalda), which is considered harmful, is used in the frozen dessert. However, Hindustan Unilever argued in court that they use vegetable oil instead of Vanaspathi in the frozen desserts they produce. Hindustan Unilever has clarified that vegetable oil is only used as a substitute for milk fat and that frozen desserts are also made from milk/milk derivatives, just like ice creams. After examining the case details, the Bombay High Court delivered a verdict asking Amul to delete the objectionable parts in these advertisements.
To sum up, ice creams & frozen desserts are both primarily made from milk/milk derivatives, claims that frozen desserts are made with only vegetable oil and not milk are untrue.


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Ice Cream seller allegedly contaminating Ice Cream with Semen in Telangana is not a Muslim - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 22, 2024
Several posts (here, here, & here) accompanying a video of a man engaging in obscene activity near an ice cream cart are widely circulating across social media platforms. The claim accompanying the video suggests that it depicts a Muslim ice cream vendor engaging in obscene activity and contaminating ice cream with his semen in Nekkonda, Telangana. In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the posts.
Claim: Video depicting a Muslim ice cream seller contaminating ice cream with his semen in Nekkonda, Telangana.
Fact: The ice cream seller involved in this incident is not a Muslim. According to reports and Nekkonda police, the name of the accused in this incident is Kalu Ram Kurabiya, who was arrested, and a case was filed under section 294 of IPC. Additionally, Nekkonda police, speaking to Factly, refuted the claims of the accused being a Muslim. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To verify the authenticity of the viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet. This search led us to several news reports (here & here) published on 20 March 2024. According to these news reports, the viral video is from Nekkonda, Warangal district of Telangana. After this obscene video of the ice cream vendor went viral on social media, the police arrested the accused in this case. The name of the accused is “Kaluram Kurabiya,” who is a resident of Rajasthan.
To learn more about this incident, we contacted M. Mahender, Sub-Inspector of Police at Nekkonda police station. Mahender informed us that the police have registered an FIR against the accused, Kaluram, under section 294 of the IPC. He also refuted the claims of the accused being a Muslim, stating that there is no religious angle to this case. Subsequently, we checked the FIR filed in this case, which also mentions the name Kaluram Kurabiya as the accused. Furthermore, the complainant in this case is a Muslim. From all this information, it is clear that the accused in this incident is not a Muslim.
To sum it up, the ice cream seller contaminating ice cream through his semen in Telangana is not a Muslim; the viral claims are false.


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Iceland government does not provide jobs to men for marrying Icelandic women - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 5, 2022
A social media post claiming that Iceland’s government would provide a government job to men who marry Icelandic women is being widely circulated. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Iceland government would provide a government job to men who marry Icelandic women.
Fact: Iceland government does not provide a job or any financial grant to men who marry an Icelandic woman. Iceland’s government officials denied the claim earlier when it went viral on internet. Iceland based media also reported officials denying the claim. Further, Iceland’s male population is slightly more than females. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
There are no reports regarding the Iceland government’s offer to provide a job to men who marry Icelandic women. If at all there is indeed any such legislation, there could have been widespread reporting in the media. However, we could not find any such reports.
A similar claim that said Iceland government would provide a monthly financial grant to men who marry Icelandic women is doing rounds on the internet at least since 2016. However, even this claim is not true.
Speaking to AFP in March 2020, a spokesperson for Chamnarn Viravan, Iceland’s honorary consulate general in Thailand, said that the claim is not true
Iceland media reports have also denied the claim in 2018 when the claim went viral again. ‘The Foreign Ministry of Iceland states categorically that any and all news items or rumors of this money-for-marriage deal are a hoax and that enquiries to the Ministry or its foreign representations are not required’, the article reported.
The earlier claims were based on the assumption that the male population of Iceland is very low compared to the female population. However, even this is not true as per the data provided by the United Nations Population Division. The number of males slightly outnumbers females in Iceland. Thus it is unlikely that the Iceland government would make such an offer based on this false assumption.
To sum it up, the Iceland government does not provide jobs to men for marrying Icelandic women. The viral claim is fake.