Lok Sabha Question No. 60 (STARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: RTI Act
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: PINAKI MISRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL & TRAINING)

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 60

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2017)

## RTI ACT

## *60. SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the RTI Act brought into force is not being implemented with the vigour and thrust and is constantly and consistently losing its pace and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of such cases where the response to an RTI application was delayed for more  than  a  year  that  too  without  citing  any  reason  and  the  cases  where  repeated reminders have not yielded any results;
- (c) the action taken by the Central Information Commission (CIC) in such cases and the cases which have been brought to its notice; and
- (d) the list of cases where punishment was awarded by the CIC but not complied with?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office. (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. 60 BY SHRI PINAKI MISRA FOR 19.07.2017 REGARDING 'RTI ACT'

- (a): No, Madam. Instead, the Right to Information (RTI) Act is being implemented with greater vigor & thrust during the last 3 years. The maximum permissible (Ten) Information Commissioners were appointed by the Government in Central  Information Commission in February, 2016. The number of Public Authorities aligned with RTI Online portal for online filing of  RTI applications and First Appeals have shown  significant increase. The Government  has  conducted  enhanced  audio  campaigns  to  create  awareness  amongst  the citizens  about  various  aspects  of  RTI  such  as  proactive  disclosure  and  RTI  Online  portal. Since the RTI Act is not losing its pace, the question of providing any such details does not arise.
- (b): As informed by the Central Information Commission, the data regarding number of cases where response to an RTI application was delayed for more than a year that too without citing  any  reason  and  where  repeated  reminders  have  not  yielded  any  results  is  not maintained by the Commission.
- (c): While disposing the appeal and complaint cases, the Central Information Commission exercise their statutory powers under the provision of the RTI Act, 2005 and decide cases on merit keeping in view the facts and circumstances of a particular case.
- (d): The  details  of  the  cases  where  penalties  were  imposed  by  the  Central  Information Commission on Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) during the last three years are as under:

| Year    |   No. of cases where penalty was imposed |
|---------|------------------------------------------|
| 2013-14 |                                      138 |
| 2014-15 |                                       44 |
| 2015-16 |                                       54 |

Penalties imposed by the Central Information Commission are complied with by the Public  Authorities  by  making  recoveries  from  salaries  of  the  penalized  officers.  This  is  a continuous process and is monitored by the Commission.

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