As reported by Mathang Seshagiri in expressbuzz.com on 24 November 2008: And now, file RTI pleas online And now, file RTI pleas online
BANGALORE: Exercising your right to know has just got easier. The Centre has launched a multi-crore, user-friendly scheme that aims to connect all district headquarters with State Information Commissions through video conferencing, introduce the Right to Information Act in school textbooks and use postcards to create awareness about the all-empowering legislation.
The Department of Personnel and Training will anchor the scheme on capacity building and awareness generation for effective implementation of the
RTI Act during the Eleventh Five Year Plan. All State Information Commissions will be granted up to Rs 30 lakh for setting up video conferencing facility between district headquarters, dak digitisation for easier management of appeals and complaints and online complaint appeal mechanism. Recently, the Central Information Commission launched an online system for submission of appeals and complaints under
RTI Act.
“The Karnataka Information Commission had already taken up disposal of cases at the district level. The information commissioners travel to different districts every month and hear cases pertaining to local public authorities. With this poor people need not come to Bangalore during an appeal or a complaint. We have received the guidelines from the Centre.
A high level committee (see box) has already been constituted under the chairmanship of chief secretary to monitor the progress in effective implementation of the scheme,” K A Thippeswamy, information commissioner, KIC, said.
Help by post
DoPT will choose select training institutes to conduct workshops and take up creation and translation of guidelines into regional languages.
Department of Posts will be roped in for extensive use of post offices to promote
RTI among rural people. All village post offices will display information posters on the provisions of the Act and post cards will carry advertisements about the Act.
The department will coordinate with the National Council for Education Training and Research (NC ERT) to formulate reading material for students and teachers.
The Centre has already approved Rs 26.68 crore for training, propagation of
RTI and education
.
High-level panel on RTI
The state government has constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of chief secretary Sudhakar Rao to monitor the progress in implementation of the Right to Information Act and organise mass awareness programmes in the state. The 10-member committee has additional chief secretary, State Chief Information Commissioner K K Misra, director general and inspector general of police, principal secretaries of revenue, finance and DPAR (Janaspandana Cell) departments and secretaries of education, DPAR and information and tourism departments. The Karnataka Information Commission secretary will provide the data on pendency and on other issues pertaining to implementation of the Act.