Govt to improve its dismal archiving record

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Govt to improve its dismal archiving record
as reported by Yahoo! News, Aug 18, 2008

The government intends to straighten the way it keeps its records, stung by criticism from those using the Right to Information Act (RTI). The top echelons have woken up to the fact that successive reports of the Director General of Archives say that no one is bothered about implementing the Public Records Act.

Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, who has noted that there is a "lackadaisical approach by most departments", has shot off a letter to all secretaries in this regard. He wants them to nominate a joint secretary from each of their ministeries as a nodal officer, to be called the Chief Records Officer to manage records in the Ministry as well as its "constituent offices and public sector undertakings".

"You may also consider visiting the records rooms of your ministry this month for an inspection to convey the importance of record-management activities," Chandrasekhar has said in his letter to secretaries. He also wants them to send their "inspection report" to the Secretary for Culture under whom the National Archives functions.

What made the Cabinet Secretary write the letter? Insiders say there is growing criticism that many RTI applicants have found queries stonewalled with the stock answer that records are not in order or are being collated.

Govt to improve its dismal archiving record - Yahoo! India News