CHANDIGARH: Caught in an RTI poser that sought information on the funding of Army Wives' Welfare Association (AWWA), the Army in a shocking reply to the Central Information Commission (CIC) has instead disowned it.
Offices of AWWA are scattered across Army cantonments in India and its headquarters is in South Block, Delhi like the Army headquarters. It is, on the face of it, a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
Giving a new twist to the ongoing debate over functioning and funding of AWWA, the Army has in a five- page reply, filed on behalf of the chief of staff, Western Command, said it has nothing to do with funds for the association either.
The reply, a copy of which is with TOI, is to be submitted before the CIC next Monday (November 24). It comes over a year after the Army declined to provide information on where money for AWWA came from, taking recourse in the plea that as the body was not funded by the government it did not fall under the RTI purview.
In fact, the Army has gone on to plead with Major (Retd) Guneet Chaudhary to withdraw the petition since "he too has donned the Olive Green and he is well aware of the yeoman's service done by AWWA for jawans. We leave it to his wisdom and discretion whether he should continue to insist on or persist with the issue which was closer to his heart at one point of time and in any case is a non-issue when it comes to questioning it. He may seek to withdraw his appeal and put a full stop on the issue".
In the RTI application, Chaudhary had sought information from Western Command about the legal status of AWWA, source of funding, organizational structure, number of officers and other ranks attached with it, reason for giving office space in the high security zones of western command headquarters, grants given to widows and orphaned children of Army in the last five years and the AWWA president using Army aircraft and Army vehicles.
"As regards funding, we reiterate with all emphasis that Western Command (or Army) does not fund AWWA in any manner," states the reply even as documents procured by TOI on Wednesday revealed that AWWA was funded by a total of 18 HQ brigades in 2004 and by 16 HQ brigades and divisions in 2007.
Record reveals that all AWWA offices are run with the financial assistance from various units. Even the officer-in-charge of the schools run by AWWA are serving Army officers of the rank of Lt Col. An interestingly point: If the Army doesn't pump in money for AWWA, it's a miracle who runs the sprawling network as there is no subscription fee for membership.
Moreover, all vehicles used by AWWA in their day-to-day functioning belong to the Army and the wives' association even finds a mention in the Army's official website. The matter will be finally heard by the commission on November 24.
Army deserts its wives' welfare club
Official AWWA website
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Comment: The Army should come clean and if AWWA is an illegal association then it should be prudently closed down. Similarly all illegal welfare organisations need to be vetted and made legal as per society act of 1860. One cannot steal and use resources for a noble welfare cause. All welfare association's accounts must be able to stand public scrutiny in the public domain. Armed Forces need to be scrupulously honest befitting of a soldier. Prudent action alone can regain our lost honour and dignity.
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