RTI now just a click away

New Delhi: Filing a Right to Information (RTI) application has become just a click away for the Delhiites. On Monday, Delhi became the first Union Territory to launch a portal that will enable citizens to file RTIs online. Maharashtra was the first state to launch the online RTI platform.

Launching the e-RTI portal(rtionline.delhi.gov.in), Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said “Delhi government would put all relevant information online to ensure transparency in its functioning. Every citizen of the country including the poor pays tax on whatever items he/she purchases and therefore the public have all the rights to know how their money it being spent and how the government is working,” he said.

In a bid to ensure transparency in the AAP government’s functioning, the Mr Kejriwal said that all relevant information will be put online. He said that the government also plans to upload all RTI replies on the portal to ensure there was no repetition of applications. The portal, designed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), enables citizens to file RTI applications pertaining to 172 departments of the Delhi government. Hailing it as a “historic day” for Delhi’s public, the CM said that with the launch of the e-RTI portal, no one would have to visit the Delhi government offices to file an RTI request. “File RTI online from your home. Nodal officers have been appointed in each department who will help in providing requisite information on the portal,” Mr Kejriwal said.

The AAP leader said that people have common queries and therefore if the answers of the RTIs were kept in the public domain on the internet, the number of RTIs would reduce.

Mr Kejriwal added that even the chief minister will come under its purview.

The Central government in 2013 had launched its own online RTI application portal allowing users to file queries, pay application fees and submit requests for appeal.

Mr Kejriwal said that in order to make the system more transparent, “We will try to put all information related to the government’s work—affecting people’s life—in the public domain.” Giving an example, he said that if the department concerned puts daily sales reports of the ration shops online, people wouldn’t have to file RTIs to seek information.