RTI's digitracker to ease task of rights champions

CHENNAI: For a citizen waiting for an answer from the government, an RTI application is often more than just a document it can be a means to find out why a welfare benefit was denied, what happened to a civic complaint, or how a government decision was made.

To make such applications easier to track and prevent them from getting lost in bureaucratic processes, the State government has directed all Secretariat departments to digitally register every RTI petition, including those submitted in physical form.

The move is aimed at providing departments with a common system to monitor RTI applications from receipt to dispos to track pending petitions, transfers to other departments, and requests involving additional fees.

The government has already provided an online facility through the RTI portal for citizens to file applications and seek information under the RTI Act, 2005.

However, complaints have been received about information not being furnished within the stipulated period, even for applications filed online, Principal Secretary to the Human Resources Department C Samayamoorthi said in a letter.

The State government has appointed a Nodal Officer in each Secretariat department to facilitate the online provision of information under the Act.

While the online system enabled applications to be tracked digitally, RTI petitions submitted in person were handled separately. Under the latest instructions, Information Officers have been asked to enter details of such petitions in the RTI Cell on the RTI website as soon as they are received.

This will bring both online and physical RTI applications under a common digital tracking mechanism, enabling officials to monitor their status and take follow-up action.

The system will also help Information Officers track applications requiring payment of additional fees.

Samayamoorthi said an online payment facility was available and Information Officers need not send a separate communication to applicants seeking payment of additional fees.

The government hopes that the uniform digital recording of RTI applications will simplify record-keeping and improve the monitoring of petitions, particularly those received in physical form.

For citizens, the significance of the move lies in making the status of a request for government information less dependent on manual record-keeping.

An RTI petition may begin with a simple question from an individual, but the information sought can often help expose delays, establish accountability or enable a citizen to pursue a grievance with the government.