DNA: Mumbai: Thursday, August 14, 2014.
There will be
some convenience for citizens filing Right to Information (RTI) applications.
By this month-end, the state government intends to make filing of applications
and giving of responses online. The four departments that will go online are
minority affairs, environment, culture and tourism and Marathi language.
"The
idea was to start by August 15, but due to the delay in training of public
information officers and first appellate authority, the online system will
begin by this month-end," said PS Meena, additional chief secretary, admin
reform. This department looks after RTI implementation.
The online
filing, as per the government, will happen through a dedicated website for RTI.
Besides filing applications, replies will also be given through the online
route. "There was also a problem of answers being retrieved online. We
will see what are the problems and hitches faced in the functioning of the site
through these four departments. Once the functioning is smooth, all other
departments will be covered in it," said Meena. Maharashtra sees the most
number of RTI applications being filed in the country. However, it did not have
an online system until recently. At the Centre, the department of Personnel and
Training had started the initiative.
"It is a
good thing that they are starting this website. The website should contain all
the details of the public information officers and first appellate authorities.
It should should also have details of the deaths of RTI activists in
Maharashtra," said Vihar Durve, a Pune-based RTI activist who has been
demanding online filing and a dedicated website for RTI.
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