Share RTI info upto five pages for free, allow applicants to take photo: Gujarat govt to authorities
Make information sought through RTI free-of-cost upto five pages, give permission to the applicants to take photo of the necessary information, and let them carry the information in portable storage device without giving it in physical format when called for self-inspection: These are some of the instructions that the state government has issued to all public authorities last month.
The instructions, issued through a circular dated May 13, came as the state government accepted the recommendations made by Gujarat State Information Commission in its annual report for 2023-24 for effective implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The information panel has thanked the state government for issuing the 'revolutionary instructions', according to an official release on Wednesday.
The other instructions issued by the state government to public authorities are: carry out bifurcation of government records; preserve the same with index and make it available on website; provide information in photo format when application is made on email, without giving it in physical format, etc.
Besides, the state government has issued instructions to all the public authorities to make its 'proactive disclosures up-to-date' so as to minimise the use of RTI Act. Instructions have been given to provide the proactive disclosures at a minimal cost of printing, or even free-of-cost, to the applicant.
The authorities have been instructed to proactively disclose information on various unauthorised constructions and the action taken on them, besides issues pertaining to various permits, licences, permissions, etc.
Moreover, public authorities have been instructed to work out a system under which each time such information is sought, the applicant automatically gets to know of every stage of the permission of the application through message or email.
Thanking the state government, the Gujarat State Information Commission has said the instructions would bring about 'radical change' in the implementation of the RTI Act, the release stated.
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