DNA: Mumbai: Monday, November 03, 2014.
Four
government departments in the state will have facilities for filing RTI
applications once the new chief minister settles down. This was to have started
around this year's Independence Day, but was delayed due to preparatory
reasons.
The
departments that will go online are Marathi language, minority affairs,
environment, and culture & tourism.
These
departments will have a dedicated website for filing online RTI applications.
Besides filing, one will also be able to get replies through the online route.
"All the
preparations have been completed. Staff have been trained and those who
required training again have undergone retraining. There were some delays
initially, and them came the elections. Now we will start the facility once the
new chief minister settles down. He will inaugurate it," said PS Meena,
additional chief secretary in the general administration department which looks
after the functioning of RTI in the state.
"We'll
see what all problems arise when the site (in the four departments) starts
functioning. Once the functioning becomes smooth, all departments will go
online," said Meena.
Maharashtra sees the most number of RTI
applications being filed in the country. However, it did not have the online
system until recently. At the Center, the department of personnel and training
had started the initiative.
"It's a
good thing that they are starting the website. It should contain all details on
public information officers and first appellate authorities. It should also
have details on the death of RTI activists in Maharashtra," said Vihar
Durve, a Pune-based RTI activist who has constantly been demanding online
filing and a dedicated website for RTI.
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