An online portal where citizens can file requests and obtain information under the Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005, will likely be accessible to the public by early July.
According a response to an RTI request filed by Kareem Ansari from YouRTI.in, a portal which assists individuals to file RTI requests, the Information Technology Electronics and Communications Department stated that the Chief Information Commissioner has selected the Home Department to implement the RTI portal pilot project.
“CIC has selected the Home Dept for the pilot, Department has nominated its officers for training. Training was completed last week. Official letter for allotment of 4 digit number RTI Call Centre was sent to DOT. DOT has allotted the number,” an excerpt from the response dated May 25, 2022 reads.
The public will be able to access the portal tentatively in the first week of July, the response stated.
The RTI response clarified that the State government plans to train its personnel in phases. Online and offline training plans, depending on the availability of personnel and timelines, include sessions for the several departments of the government, its collectorates as well as for heads of departments, district-level offices, and corporations and its other agencies.
In the recent past, individuals and activists had pointed to the need of an online RTI portal where information could be sought and obtained, much like what the Government of India is doing for its ministries. This, they said, would give a boost to transparency and accountability. Additionally, they had demanded that the government upload Government Orders in a timely fashion on the goir.telangana.gov.in website.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr Ansari said, “An online RTI platform will make it very convenient for the public to file RTIs. The time taken to file RTI request and and receive information is likely to be reduced. Thorough training must be given to government servants in general, and public information officers, in particular about the importance of the RTI Act and its role in good governance. I hope that the government sticks to its plan and that there are no delays.”
