Paatil calls for 'Jan Bhagidari' to strengthen Water Conservation Efforts (See 'Corp Brief') IICA successfully concludes 4th Batch of Directors' Certification in Corporate Governance (See 'Corp Brief') Ministry of MSME assisting entrepreneurs in setting up of new micro enterprises (See 'Corp Brief') COFEPOSA - Dispute over rent or mesne profits for immovable property leased for commercial purposes is 'commercial dispute': HC (See 'Legal Desk') Amendments to Banking Regulation Act and MSCS Act, 2002 enhance oversight & accountability (See 'Corp Brief') MY Bharat mobilises Youth across 763 Districts for Shaheed Diwas Padyatra (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - Even property acquired prior to commission of crime can be provisionally attached finding it falling in definition of 'proceeds of crime': SAFEMA (See 'Legal Desk') Ministry of Mines to launch 7th Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Minerals (See 'Corp Brief') Jal Mahotsav 2026 gives momentum to 'Jal Sanchay se Jan Bhagidari' (See 'Corp Brief') Ministry of Mines to organise National DMF Summit 2026 (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - High Court of Delhi lacked territorial jurisdiction to hear appeal filed against Appellant based in Kolkata; GST registration at Delhi, occasional hearings before Delhi Bench of NCLT do not establish that appellant ordinarily operates in Delhi: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Union Minister chairs 90th Meeting of Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (See 'Corp Brief') India achieves 1 billion Tonne Coal Production Milestone Again (See 'Corp Brief') Capital Market - SEBI's regulations are framed to protect rights of stakeholders in securities market, and violation of its regulations being matter of public law, can't be condoned by private resolution of shareholders: SC (See 'Legal Desk') PDUNASS conducts DoPT-Sponsored Training Programme (See 'Corp Brief') Govt introduces Credit Guarantee Scheme for Microfinance Institutions-2.0 (See 'Corp Brief') Supreme Court Clears Path For Single Insolvency Proceedings Against Linked Group Companies (See CORP EINSICHT)

MoS calls for public awareness campaigns on RTI

Published: Sep 12, 2020

By TIOLCORPLAWS News Service

NEW DELHI, SEPT 12, 2020: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that RTI is fully functional in Jammu and Kashmir and there is a pressing need to create public awareness about the functioning of the RTI Act. After a meeting with senior most Information Commissioner Mr D.P.Sinha, who is officiating as CIC, the Union Minister has urged the Civil Society to come forward in a big way in this noble mission, so that the Central Information Commission is not overloaded with frivolous and non-essential queries. He suggested that the Information Authorities should ponder not to entertain the avoidable RTIs and stressed that almost all information is available in public domain today.

Dr.Jitendra Singh said that it goes to the credit of the Commission and its functionaries that inthe midst of the pandemic on 15th May this year, the Central Information Commission started entertaining, hearing and disposing of RTIs from the newly created Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, through virtual means. The Minister also informed that any citizen of India can now file RTI pertaining to matters related to J&K and Ladakh, which was reserved to only Citizens of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir, before the Reorganisation Act of 2019. It is pertinent to mention here that consequent to the passing of J&K Reorganisation Act 2019, the J&K Right to Information Act 2009 and the Rules there under were repealed and Right to Information Act 2005 and the Rules there under were enforced from 31.10.2019. This measure was widely hailed by people of Jammu and Kashmir and the Administration of the UT.

Dr.Jitendra Singh said that ever since Modi Government came into power in 2014, Transparency and Citizen-Centricity became the hallmark of the Governance Model. He said that in the last six years, every conscious decision was taken to strengthen the Independence and Resources of the Information Commissions and all vacancies were filled as fast as possible.

Mr Sinha pointed out that various steps taken to facilitate the CIC hearing during the lockdown and partial lockdown included video conferencing, audio conferencing, facilitation of return submission, uploading of the contact details of Deputy Registrars on the website, issue of notices by e-post wherever required, online registration and scrutiny of fresh cases etc. He also informed the Minister that the Commission had effectively continued its interactive and outreach activities including video conference with civil society representatives and with members of National Federation of Information Commissions in India.

TIOL CORP SEARCH

TIOL GROUP WEBSITES