DELHI GOVT LAUNCHES ITS OWN E-RTI PORTAL
NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday launched his government’s E-RTI portal at the Delhi Secretariat here and said that the public who pay tax have all the rights to know how their money is being spent.
Kejriwal said it was a “historic day” for Delhi’s people, as with the launch of the portal (rtionline.delhi. gov.in), no one would have to come to Delhi government offices to file a Right to Information (RTI) request.
“File RTI online from your home. Nodal officers have been appointed in each department who will help in providing requisite information on the portal,” Kejriwal said.
He said that people have almost common queries, so if the answers of the RTIS were kept in public domain on internet, the number of RTIS would reduce.
“Delhi government will put all relevant information online to ensure transparency in its functioning. Every citizen of the country, including the poor, pays tax on whatever items he purchases. So they have all rights to know how their money it being spent and how the government is working,” he said.
Kejriwal added that not only the ministers, but even the Chief Minister will come under its purview.
Officials said Delhi has become the first Union Territory to launch such a system.
The central government in 2013 had launched its own online RTI application portal, allowing users to file queries, pay application fee and submit requests for appeal.
Maharashtra also had launched its online RTI portal in 2015. The portal is designed by the National Informatics Centre, through which people can file RTI applications pertaining to 172 departments of the Delhi government.
Kejriwal said that in order to make the system more transparent, “we will try to put all information related to the government’s work – affecting people’s life – in the public domain.”
Giving an example, he said that if the concerned department puts daily sales reports of ration shops online, people won’t have to file RTIS.
The Delhi government’s E-RTI portal will allow users to file their queries and pay the fee via netbanking.
Additionally, the portal will also enable applicants to file their first appeal online and get email/sms alerts on the status of the applications.