KMF now under RTI: Karnataka panel affirms transparency mandate
The Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) has officially declared the Karnataka Milk Federation (https://www.kmfnandini.coop/ — along with its district-level unions such as Bamul and Komul — as a “state” entity under the RTI Act, making it legally obliged to disclose information sought by citizens.
The decision was issued by Information Commissioner Rajashekara S while adjudicating a second appeal by an RTI applicant who had requested details of an overseas tour undertaken by officials of the Komul union. In its ruling, the commission referenced a 1993 judgment of the Karnataka High Court which had already recognized KMF (and its predecessor) as a “state” entity under Article 12 of the Constitution.
KIC’s order notes that KMF emerged from the erstwhile Karnataka Dairy Development Corporation (KDCC) — itself a fully government-owned body established in 1974 under the national dairy development drive — and inherited all assets, liabilities, staff, and government-guaranteed loans when KDCC was wound up.
Moreover, KMF and its unions perform public functions such as milk procurement and marketing, price regulation, and welfare support for dairy farmers — operating under the state’s cooperative-society legislation — which the commission cited to justify classification under RTI.
The ruling thus removes ambiguity about citizens’ right to seek information on expenditures, governance decisions, procurement, price policies, use of public funds, and other actions of the federation and its district unions. The RTI applicant’s demand for disclosure of foreign-tour expenses of union officials was emblematic of the broader call for transparency, which the Commission endorsed.
Implications & What It Means Going Forward
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Greater Transparency & Accountability: As a “public authority,” KMF and its unions must now respond to RTI requests. This can compel disclosure of financials, procurement data, expenditure (including travel, overheads), price-setting mechanisms, and union governance — strengthening accountability.
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Empowerment of Farmers & Citizens: Dairy farmers, milk producers’ societies, and citizens can now use RTI to access information that affects their livelihoods — for instance, how incentives are allocated, costs of procurement, overhead expenses etc.
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Potential Governance Reforms: Under scrutiny, cooperatives may be pushed to streamline overheads, improve efficiency, and be more transparent about fund use — potentially improving payment cycles, incentive disbursals, and operational prudence.
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Precedent for Other Federations/Unions: This ruling may set a precedent for treating other state-level or government-backed cooperative federations as “public authorities,” prompting similar RTI classifications elsewhere.
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Challenges for KMF & Union Operations: With increased transparency obligations, KMF may face pressure on administrative costs, audit compliance, and risk of frequent RTI queries — necessitating better record-keeping, disclosure frameworks, and possibly increased bureaucracy.