Central Bank of India directed to disclose names of borrowers of Kisan Credit Card loans alongwith the borrowed amount

Central Information Commission: “Since KCC (Kisan Credit Card) loans benefit from interest subvention given from Government funds, some information concerning the same ought to be available in the public domain,” observed CIC while directing Central Bank of India to disclose the names of borrowers alongwith the borrowed amount. The matter pertains to an RTI application filed by a person, seeking information regarding details of beneficiaries of KCC loans, given by the Gaura branch of Central Bank of India. Gaura branch of Central Bank of India comes under Gora Karamwa District, West Champaran, Bihar. During the course of proceedings, CIC noted that the information sought by the appellant included the names, father’s name and address etc., together with copies of all loan documents, of the borrowers and as such information is held by the bank in a fiduciary capacity, it is exempted from disclosure under Section 8 (1)(e) of the RTI Act. However, CIC further noted that since KCC loans benefit from interest subvention given from Government funds, some information concerning the same ought to be available in the public domain. “In view of the foregoing, we direct the CPIO to provide to the Appellant, if not already done, the information concerning the names of borrowers, together with the amount disbursed in each case, in respect of those who were given KCC loans by the Gaura branch from 8.3.2011 to 21.1.2013,” the Commission observed while issuing a direction to CPIO of the Bank to complete action in the matter within thirty days of the receipt of the order. (Sanjay Kumar Pandey v. Central Bank of India, 2015 SCC OnLine CIC 14049 decided on November 30, 2015)