Financial aid to states to set up facilities for online filing of applications under RTI Act
29 Aug, 2014Vide F. No 1/6/2012 —IR, the Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has released the Guidelines for grants to ATIs and SICs under the various components of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme on "Improving Transparency and Accountability in government through effective implementation of Right to Information Act" for the year 2014-2015.
The DoPT has proposed financial aid to states to set up facilities for online filing of applications under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and others initiatives aimed at research and promotion of the law through a host of measures. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has earmarked a fund of up to :-
· Rs three lakh for celebration of RTI Week (October 5-12)
· Rs four lakh for innovative awareness generation programme through street plays, folk troupes etc
· Rs four lakh for the states to set up helpline for answering queries of the general public regarding the RTI Act in their respective regional language. This would include rental charges for a telephone line, computer system for data storage, salary for the person manning the helpline and stationery, etc. It would be restricted to Rs 2 lakh per annum for subsequent years. Such helplines could be set up in collaboration with NGOs working in the field of RTI.
· Rs 5 lakh (per case basis) for carrying out field-based research on RTI and Rs 1 lakh for organising workshops and seminars on promotion of the transparency law.
The aforesaid memorandum points out that the facility of filing RTI applications and appeals online through RTI online web portal has been launched and is being implemented in all the ministries or departments of Government of India situated in New Delhi. The same facility can be extended to the state government offices by sharing with them the software developed by NIC (Headquarters), New Delhi. DoPT has invited proposals from the ATIs and funds would be granted on the basis of such proposals.
Financial grant has also been proposed for improving the record management practice and suo motu disclosure of information related to their working.