Mumbai: Post of Maharashtra state Charity Commissioner has been lying vacant for the past 187 days as per information provided by the office of Charity Commissioner to an RTI query . Charity Commissioner shoulders the responsibility of closely monitoring activities of various public trusts and societies operational in the state ensuring proper implementation of beneficial public schemes.
RTI activist Anil Galgali had enquired as to since when is the post of Charity Commissioner vacant and who has the responsibility of appointing the Charity Commissioner? The Charity Commission Office informed Galgali that The post is vacant since 5th December, 2018 and it is the responsibility of the State Government to appoint Charity Commissioner. Previous Charity Commissioner Shivkumar Dighe was appointed by the state government on 18 August, 2017. Shivkumar Dighe had taken action against trusts and societies that had failed to audit their accounts and was instrumental in prevailing on management of charitable hospitals to include and display the word “charitable” in their name. On noticing increasing Similarly he ensured that the words “human rights” and “corruption” are not misused by non governmental organization by taking them to task for it.
His tenure saw action being taken against over a lakh of trusts or societies with some of them even loosing their registration. His actions saw the image of Charity Commissioner’s office grow in its stature and clout .
Anil Galgali felt that prior to transferring out Shivkumar Dighe the post of Charity Commissioner should have been filled, but the lackadaisical attitude of the Law and Justice department has seen 187 days go by without Charity Commissioner being appointed. In his letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Galgali has urged the post of Charity Commissioner to be filled urgently.
