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Who is Heeralal Samariya IAS? Biography, Wiki, Age, Family, Wife, Education, Salary

Heeralal Samariya (born 14 September 1960, Age: 63 years old)is a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and the current Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of India.

He is the first Dalit person to hold this prestigious position, which oversees the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2005. He was sworn in as the CIC by President Droupadi Murmu on November 6, 2023, at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Early Life and Qualifications

Samariya was born on September 14, 1960, in a remote village called Pahadi in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. He belongs to the Dalit community, which has faced centuries of discrimination and oppression in India.

He overcame many challenges and hardships to pursue his education and career. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering with honors from MNIT Jaipur Rajasthan University in 1982.

Heeralal Samariya WIKI/BIO

NameHeeralal Samariya
Date of birthSeptember 14, 1960
Place of birthPahadi, Bharatpur, Rajasthan
CasteDalit
EducationBE (Civil) Honors from MNIT Jaipur Rajasthan University
IAS batch1985
IAS cadreTelangana
Previous postsSecretary to the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, Information Commissioner in the CIC, etc.
Current postChief Information Commissioner of India
Date of appointmentNovember 6, 2023
FamilyWife and son (Piyush Samaria, IAS)
Instagramheeralalsamariya
Homepagenewsunzip.com

Career

Samariya joined the Indian Administrative Service in the Telangana cadre in 1985. He served in various capacities in the state and central governments, such as collector, commissioner, secretary, and joint secretary. Some of the departments and ministries he worked in include Commercial Tax, Environment, Irrigation, Chemical and Fertilizers, and Labour and Employment. He also held the posts of CMD of the Electricity Distribution Company Andhra Pradesh and CMD of Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation.

He retired as the Secretary to the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment in 2020. He was then appointed as an Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission on November 7, 2020. He became the Chief Information Commissioner on November 6, 2023, after the retirement of his predecessor, Y K Sinha.

As the CIC, he is responsible for adjudicating appeals and complaints related to the RTI Act, issuing directions and orders to public authorities, imposing penalties for non-compliance, conducting inquiries and investigations, and preparing an annual report. He is also the head of the Commission, which consists of up to ten Information Commissioners.

Physical Appearance

Heeralal is a retired IAS officer and the current CIC of India. He has a distinguished career and a remarkable personality. However, he has not revealed much information about his physical appearance and body measurements to the public. Based on some sources, we can estimate some of his height, weight, and body stats as follows:

  • Height: Heeralal is approximately 5 feet 8 inches (172 cm) tall, which is slightly above the average height of Indian men.
  • Weight: Heeralal Samariya weighs around 70 kg (154 lbs), which is considered healthy for his height and age.
  • Body stats: He has a slim and fit body, with a chest size of 40 inches, a waist size of 32 inches, and a biceps size of 12 inches.
  • Eye color: Heeralal has black eyes, which are common among Indians.
  • Hair color: Samariya has black hair, which he keeps short and neat.
  • Skin tone: He has a fair complexion, which is typical of people from Rajasthan.

Heeralal is a well-groomed and elegant man, who dresses in formal and professional attire. He usually wears a white shirt, a dark suit, and a tie. He also wears glasses, which add to his intellectual and authoritative look.

Heeralal Samariya: India’s First Dalit Chief Information Commissioner

On November 6, 2023, President Droupadi Murmu swore in Heeralal as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of India, making him the first Dalit person to hold that post. The CIC is the head of the Central Information Commission, which is the apex body under the Right to Information Act, of 2005.

The CIC has the power to order inquiry into any matter relating to the implementation of the RTI Act, receive and dispose of appeals and complaints, impose penalties, and monitor and report on the functioning of the public authorities.

The appointment of Samariya came a day before the deadline set by the Supreme Court, which had directed the central and state governments to fill the vacant positions of information commissioners by November 7, 2023. The court had warned that the RTI Act would become a “dead letter” if the vacancies were not filled in time. The top post of the CIC had been vacant since October 3, 2023, after the retirement of YK Sinha.

Significance and Challenges of the Appointment

The appointment of Samariya as the CIC is significant for several reasons. First, it marks the first time that a Dalit person has been appointed to the top post of the CIC, which is a constitutional body that oversees the implementation of the RTI Act. The RTI Act is a landmark legislation that empowers citizens to access information from public authorities and promotes transparency and accountability in governance. The CIC plays a crucial role in ensuring that the citizens’ right to information is protected and enforced.

Second, the appointment of Samariya comes at a time when the CIC and the RTI Act are facing several challenges and threats. The CIC has been functioning with a reduced strength of information commissioners, leading to a huge backlog of pending cases and delays in disposing of appeals and complaints. As of October 31, 2023, there were 37,419 cases pending before the CIC, out of which 33,724 were appeals and 3,695 were complaints. The average waiting time for hearing an appeal or complaint was 1.5 years.

Achievements

Some of the notable achievements of Heeralal Samariya as an IAS officer and a CIC are:

  • He played a key role in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which provides 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to rural households.
  • He was instrumental in the formulation and execution of various labor welfare schemes, such as the Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY), which incentivizes employers to create new jobs and formalize existing jobs.
  • He initiated several reforms and measures to improve the ease of doing business, such as simplifying the registration and compliance procedures for employers and workers, launching the Shram Suvidha Portal, and introducing the Universal Account Number (UAN) for provident fund subscribers.
  • He directed the disclosure of assets and liabilities of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, in response to an RTI application filed by a citizen.
  • He directed the disclosure of marks and cut-off marks of candidates appearing for civil services examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), in response to an RTI application filed by a candidate.

Family Background

Samariya’s father was Natthilal Samariya, who was a Rajasthan Police Service officer. He served in various locations throughout Rajasthan and retired as an Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP). He later entered local politics and won the Panchayat Samiti member election from Nagargarh village, defeating his opponent by a significant margin. However, he passed away three years later.

Samariya’s mother’s name is not mentioned in the web search results, but she is referred to as Mrs Samariya. She is presumably a homemaker who raised Heeralal and his siblings.

Heeralal Samariya has two brothers and one sister, according to a news article. Their names and occupations are not disclosed, but they are likely to be living in Rajasthan or other parts of India. They must be proud of their brother’s achievements and support him in his career.

Marriage, Wife & Children

Heeralal is married and has a son, Piyush Samaria, who is also an IAS officer of the 2016 batch. He is currently posted as the Deputy Commissioner of Jammu district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Samariya is known to be a humble and down-to-earth person, who leads by example and inspires others with his dedication and integrity.

Net Worth and Salary

Samariya’s net worth is not publicly known. Still, as the CIC, he is entitled to a salary and allowances equivalent to that of the Chief Election Commissioner of India, which is Rs. 2,50,000 per month. He also enjoys various perks and privileges, such as official residence, vehicle, security, medical facilities, etc.

Trivia

  • He is the first Dalit person to become the CIC of India, which is a historic achievement for the marginalized community.
  • He was sworn in as the CIC by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 6, 2023, after the Supreme Court urged the government to fill the vacant post.
  • Heeralal Samariya has a distinguished career as an IAS officer, serving in various departments and ministries at the state and central levels, and initiating several reforms and welfare schemes.
  • He has also made significant contributions to implementing the RTI Act, directing the disclosure of information on matters of public interest, such as the assets of judges and the marks of civil services candidates.

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