Thursday, December 01, 2011

Public-Private Partnerships under RTI Act: V Narayanasamy.

The Economic Times:Thursday, December 01, 2011.
NEW DELHI: Information about Public-Private partnerships can be accessed by citizens under the Right to Information Act, Lok Sabha was informed today.
"Any information about Public Private partnership arrangement which can be disclosed under the RTI Act may be accessed through Public Authority which has entered into the said arrangement," Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V Narayanasamy said.
He said RTI Act 2005 is applicable to public authorities as defined under section 2(h) of the Act, which includes bodies owned, controlled or substantially financed by the Government and non-government organisation substantially financed directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate government.
"Further as per section 2(f) of the Act, information relating to any private body, which can be accessed by public authority under any other law for the time being in force, is already under the purviews of the RTI Act, 2005," he said.
Replying to a separate question, the minister said no proposal to amend the RTI Act is under the consideration of the Government.
"It is the view of the Government that RTI Act, 2005 has contributed to improvement in Transparency and Accountability in the functioning of Government," he said.