Date:03/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/03/stories/2008090354910400.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

New web site on RTI

Special Correspondent

Has an exhaustive list of information officers apart from rules and penalties.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Information and Public Relations Department has developed a web site www.rit.kerala.gov.in on right to information with technical assistance from the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT).

The web site has a comprehensive list of public information officers of various departments, public sector undertakings and government agencies with their addresses and telephone numbers.

Though government departments were required to publish names of their public information officers under the Right to Information Act as back as in 2005, this is the first time that a list of about 6,000 officials are made available for reference by the public.

Most of the rules, orders and circulars issued by the government are also available on the site, besides copies of judgements of the State Information Commission (up to December 2007). The web site also features articles on the Act, details of penalties awarded and answers to frequently asked questions.

The full text of the Act is available in English and Malayalam. Besides, the procedure for obtaining information from government department and agencies and appeal procedures are explained in simple terms.

Forms for info, appeal

Forms for making requests for information and filing appeal against denial of information can be downloaded.

The C-DIT has made in house arrangements for updating of the site, especially changing details about public information officers. Provision has also been made for updating of information by the government departments and agencies themselves.

Campaigns to bring the site to the notice of the public are on the anvil.