A Generous Grant from Malpani Ventures

This month, we were thrilled to receive a grant of ₹1 lakh from Dr. Aniruddha Malpani, of Malpani Ventures. Dr. Malpani is an angel investor and reached out on his own, expressing his alignment with our mission, and offered the grant with no strings attached, simply saying, “I trust you to use these funds sensibly.”

Having someone reach out to us unsolicited, even when we weren’t seeking funds, is a powerful validation of our work. 

Since Zen Citizen is not yet a registered entity, I initially suggested sending invoices as expenses arise. However, he insisted on transferring the amount upfront. To ensure complete transparency, I’ve created a separate bank account for the deposit and plan to share periodic statements with him.

His support goes beyond financial aid – he is also a constant source of encouragement! 

New Content – December ‘24

This month, we published 4 new piece of content:

What to expect when you are filing an RTI application

Thank you Sioux! We’ve divided this article into two sections: ‘Undocumented, Suppressed Information’ and ‘Information You Can Get Elsewhere’. We hope this format highlights how our content stands apart and adds unique value.

Here’s a section on how to frame an RTI request: 

One provision of the RTI Act prohibits leading or interrogative questions, such as those beginning with “how” or “why.” For instance, instead of asking, “Has the BBMP issued any Standard Operating Procedure for enforcement of zoning regulations?”, you can rephrase it as, “Please provide a copy of the Standard Operating Procedure for enforcement of zoning regulations, if so issued.”

Note that under the RTI Act, you cannot request a justification for actions taken by a public authority. For example, “Why did you choose to repair Road A instead of fixing Pavement B?” or “How did you arrive at the conclusion that Project A should be prioritized over Project B?” can be reframed as: “Please provide the detailed Project Reports for Project A and Project B, if such reports have been prepared.”

Civic Compass

A tool designed to help citizens quickly identify details like BBMP ward, sub-division, zone, district revenue office, police jurisdiction, constituencies, and so on. Thank you AN!

What to expect when you are obtaining an Encumbrance Certificate

Thank you AN and Sioux!

Here are a couple of hacks related to Name Search: 

• Both first and last names must be entered in the textbox designated for the first name. Yes, that’s correct.
• Full Match Required: The name search requires an exact match. For example, if your name is “Anand Bharat Karthik” and you enter only “Anand” as the first name, you will not be able to locate your property. 

Opinion piece: ‘The Rocky Road to eKhata: A Zen Citizen Perspective’

“While the Administration highlights a two-day disposal of cases as a measure of improvement, Goodhart’s Law reminds us that when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure. Prioritizing speed over quality has led to rejected applications to meet daily targets.

The Administration is making strides to reverse eKhata’s narrative, resolving bugs incrementally and adding guardrails to improve the program.

To build on these efforts, we urge the Administration to focus on restoring public trust by:

• Proactively sharing updates about known technical glitches.
• Addressing individual concerns raised on social platforms.
• Establishing a transparent complaint tracking system to hold staff accountable.
• Creating a safe environment for reporting delays and corruption without fear of retribution.

5.Overhauled the content on ‘What to expect when you are getting an eKhata’ with new hacks and the multiple changes in the procedure since it was launched in Sep ‘24. 

Streamlining Volunteer Intake

We’ve streamlined our volunteer intake process with this form. If you know anyone who might be interested, please share it within your network. We’re specifically looking for help with UX and web development.

Selected tweet mentions

Shout-Out to Giridhar

Our very own @Giridhar received a special mention for his guidance on eKhata:
“The power of social media and knowledge sharing. Got the eKhata corrected last week. Thanks to all those who shared their experience, special thanks to @giridharvagale for telling me about ‘Receiving Clerk Login’…”

eKhata Content Making a Difference

Our eKhata guidance continues to resonate with users. Here’s what @Nitin2183 had to say:
@zencitizen_in Thank you, got my eKhata. Was very skeptical if the process would be as easy as it was mentioned, however, I followed your guidance and BBMP videos. Uploaded the documents yesterday, and 1 hour back got an SMS that the final eKhata was ready. Paid ₹125 & took a print.

It’s feedback like this that drives us to do more. Keep sharing your stories and experiences!

Onward & Upward!