URGENT / CONFIDENTIAL
THROUGH E-MAIL
27 AUGUST 2012
Project Director,
The CONFONET Project
[as a Public Authority under RTI Act as per Section 2(h)]
FCA Infosys Division, A3B4, Room No. 350
National Informatics Centre, A-Block, CGO Complex
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003
mailto:confonet-info@nic.in
With Copies to:
01. Ministry of Consumers Affairs, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi mailto: cpgrams-darpg@nic.in
02. Central Information Commission, August Kranti Bhavan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi - 110 066 & Old JNU Campus, New Delhi - 110067 mailto: vijay.bhalla@nic.in & <rti@nic.in>,
RE: IMPLEMENTATION OF PROVISIONS OF RTI ACT IN CONSUMER FORA, STATE COMMISSIONS. NATIONAL COMMISSION AND The CONFONET Project
Dear Sir,
While it has been noticed that the CONFONET Project through its website is providing a great single window service at CONFONET (http://confonet.nic.in/default.htm) to the consumers at large.
But while surfing through the site it has been noticed that there in nothing about the Right to Information Act 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) implementation at Consumer Fora, State Commissions. National Commission and the Confonet Project level. Particularly the pro-active disclosures as required under Section 4 of the Right to Information Act 2005.
The provision of sub-section (i) to (xvii) of Section 4(1)(b) were required to be published within one hundred and twenty days from the enactment of Right to Information Act 2005. This Act came into being on 15th June, 2005 abd was published in the Extraordinary Gazette of India on 21st June, 2005/Jyaistha 31, 1927 (Saka). The Provisions of Section 4 of the Right to Information Act 2005 were required to be implemented by 13 October 2005.
But, it has been observed that the CONFONET, which aims at serving all sections of its wide target audience through the various services offered by it, has not provided any details as warranted by the Right to Information Act 2005. The List of the Central Public Information Officers, Assistant Central Public Information Officers, and Appellate Authorities are missing together with all other details which are required to be published pro-actively under Section 4 of the Right to Information Act 2005. The Provisios of Section 4 of the Right to Information Act 2005 are attached here with this communication. The Right to Information Act 2005 is also attached for your ready reference and record.
It has also been noticed that the DCDRF, Mohali (Punjab) and DCDRF, Panchkula (Haryana) are not covered by the CONFONET. There may be more such DCDRF of the country may not be on the CONFONET. As such the claim of the CONFONET that aims at serving all sections of its wide target audience through the various services offered by it defeats.
It is therefore requested that the implementation of Section 4 of the Right to Information Act 2005 may please be immediately implemented and the necessary details may please be uploaded on the CONFONET under a new Segment relating to RTI.
Thanking you,
Very cordially yours,
Surendera M. Bhanot
Enclosure:
01. Right to Information Act 2005 in pdf form.
02. Section 4 of the Right to Information Act 2005
| Section 4. (1) Every public authority shall— a) maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and the form which facilitates the right to information under this Act and ensure that all records that are appropriate to be computerised are, within a reasonable time and subject to availability of resources, computerised and connected through a network all over the country on different systems so that access to such records is facilitated; b) publish within one hundred and twenty days from the enactment of this Act,— (i) the par particulars of its organisation, functions and duties; (ii) the powers and duties of its officers and employees; (iii) the procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability; (iv) the norms set by it for the discharge of its functions; (v) the rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions; (vi) a statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control; (vii) the particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof; (viii) a statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public; (ix) a directory of its officers and employees; (x) the monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations; (xi) the budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made; (xii) the manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes; (xiii) particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorisations granted by it; (xiv) details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form; (xv) the particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use; (xvi) the names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers;
(xvii) such other information as may be prescribed; and thereafter update these publications every year;
c) publish all relevant facts while formulating important policies or announcing the decisions which affect public; d) provide reasons for its administrative or quasi-judicial decisions to affected persons.
(2) It shall be a constant endeavour of every public authority to take steps in accordance with the requirements of clause (b) of sub-section (1) to provide as much information suo motu to the public at regular intervals through various means of communications, including internet, so that the public have minimum resort to the use of this Act to obtain information.
(3) For the purposes of sub-section (1), every information shall be disseminated widely and in such form and manner which is easily accessible to the public.
(4) All materials shall be disseminated taking into consideration the cost effectiveness, local language and the most effective method of communication in that local area and the information should be easily accessible, to the extent possible in electronic format with the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, available free or at such cost of the medium or the print cost price as may be prescribed.
Explanation.—For the purposes of sub-sections (3) and (4), "disseminated" means making known or communicated the information to the public through notice boards, newspapers, public announcements, media broadcasts, the internet or any other means, including inspection of offices of any public authority. |
NOTE:
This communication is also attached as an attachment to this mail.
GREETINGS AND WARM REGARDS
Surendera M. Bhanot
- Coordinator, RTIFED, Punjab Chandigarh
- Youth for Human Rights International - YHRI - South Asia
- Jt. Secretary, Amateur Judo Association of Chandigarh
- Member, SPACE - Society for Promotion and Conservation of Environment, Chandigarh
No. 3758, Sector 22-D, Chandigarh-160022
Mob: 919-888-810-811
PHONE: 91-172-5000970
FAX: 91-172-5000970
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Attachment(s) from Surendera M. Bhanot
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