New Delhi: Schemes and projects of the Government that relate to development and social issues will now have to be disclosed. The Prime Minister?s Office has made the announcement, but there are exemptions to this rule.
The landmark Right to Information (RTI) Act, aimed at making the Government accountable and ending corruption, will now have more teeth as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to bring "substantive file notings" under the purview of the Act except those protected by the exemption clauses u/s 8(1) (a) to (j) of the Act.
However, the Principal Information Officer appointed under RTI Act may withhold the individual identity of the functionary who has made the file notings.
The Prime Minister has instructed the Department of Personnel and Training to incorporate the necessary changes in the Rules under the Right to Information Act, 2005 in consultation with the Law Ministry.
However, file notings relating to identifiable individuals, group of individuals, organisations, appointments, matters relating to inquiries and departmental proceedings, shall not be disclosed.
Under the Act, it has been made mandatory for the government to provide information to the public and entities within a specific time after the demand is made.
Meanwhile, the Centre has constituted the Central Information Commission as per the provisions of the Act.
The Commission consists of one Chief Information Commissioner and four Information Commissioners.
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