Uttarakhand has framed its own set of rules for the effective implementation of the Right to Information Act, with the State Cabinet on Thursday giving its nod to the Uttarakhand RTI rules aimed at removing the bottlenecks impeding the process.
These rules will simplify the task of information seekers by defining in clear terms the responsibilities of Public Information Officials and facilitating the process of filing of petitions under RTI and disclosure of information, official sources said after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna.
Uttarakhand RTI rules make it clear that opinions, advice or suggestions, which are not in a written form, do not fall into the category of information, and personal information, not related to public interest and intruding upon someone’s privacy, are not meant to be disclosed.
In another significant decision, the Cabinet gave its approval to an amendment in the eligibility criteria for the beneficiaries of the unemployment allowance.
Now, more than one unemployed person from a family with an annual income 2.5 lakh can avail of this scheme. As per earlier provisions, only one unemployed member of a family with 1.15 lakh per year could avail of the scheme.