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System is for citizens or whom? We Appeal to Support Digital India.
Corruption, Pollution, Broken Roads, Defunct hospitals, Way behind schooling system, Sanitation if someone needs to intervene or contribute, the journey starts with information. Right to information is a tool in the hands of a common man.
Following the spirit of the RTI Act 2005 we started a research.
To the chief Information Commissioner.
Please provide me with below information.
1. Does your state have a web portal supporting the spirit of Right to Information Act. Similar and at least providing the same functionality as https://RTIOnline.gov.in where
- Any Citizen of India can go online and file RTI appeal to Information Commission or any of the administrative unit's SPIOs electronically and get an RTI tracking ticket similar to RTIOnline.gov.in.
- Pay the prescribed fee online using Net Banking, Credit Cards.
- Track the status online and get the response on the online portal electronically.
- File First and Second appeal in case RTI response is not satisfactory electronically using the same portal.
2. If answer to query #1 is Yes for all the points, please provide the web portal name.
3. If Answer to all or any of the Query #1 is No.
a).Please provide details on why even after 10 years of RTI Act in place and after multiple years of RTIOnline.gov.in online and working as a benchmark developed by NIC for central government ministries (NIC or similar agencies manages all your state web portals as well) your state is not able to provide this service.
b.) If you have already planned for a similar or better service than RTIOnline.gov.in to serve RTI needs for your state please provide the expected time frame when Citizens of India can start using it.
The Above RTI is for public purpose.
Below is the response that we got:
" Kindly refer to your letter dated 13-6-2015 which has been received on 24-6-2015 vide dairy no. 15961 on the subject noted above. The facility of online filing of RTI application, first & second appeal & deposit of fee has not started in the State. Therefore, the answer to your query no,1 is no.The PIO is not to provide explanations to applicant under RTI Act.
In case, you are not satisfied with the reply, you can file the first appeal within 30 days after the receipt of this letter. "
Below are some of our observations on this RTI response :
1 . The response was fast (around 2 weeks) and the explanations given were to the point.
2. However, we are not given any timelines as to when the RTI system will go online. (Despite asking specifically for it) The PIO conveniently choose to ignore this point.
Though the (partial) information was provided quickly , the fact of the matter is that Punjab still doesn't have an Online portal for RTI filing and tracking. This is resulting in loss of manual efforts, paperwork and actual monetary loss on public exchequer.
The response from Punjab PIO seems to be very non committal as far as launching an online RTI portal is concerned. We believe that a sincere effort is required on the state's part to make online RTI process a reality . Therefore, a citizen intervention is very much required to move things into the right direction.
Eventually, we want all the states to be on board rti.gov.in or a similar platform base-lined at least on existing service by central government.
Citizens of Punjab, Take things into your hands now! Join this action Group and help your state achieve this milestone quickly!
