Hubli : Earlier, Public Information Officer (PIO) named under right to Information The Act of any department provided information at no cost, if it was within five pages.
Nowadays some PIOs are demanding 2 rupeesHowever, a page of information is required to be provided. They are sending the letter by spending Rs.25 for postal and instructing the applicant to pay Rs.2. 30 for postage or courier.
The irony is that the PIO will again spend Rs 25 of the government’s money to send the information, though it is of one page. RTI activists allege that this is a deliberate act by the authorities to discourage citizens from filing RTI.
As per the Act, for providing certified copy of information, PIOs will collect Rs.2 per page.
Bhimanagouda G Paragond, an RTI activist in Athani, told TOI that he has been directed to pay Rs 2 for a one-page information from the Karnataka Drugs Control Department. “The PIO has sent this letter by spending Rs 25 for registered post. Since Rs 2 PO is not available in post offices, we have to get Rs 10 PO, and send it by registered post by spending Rs 25. So it is a burden on the citizens as well as the concerned department. Said.
Former State Information Commissioner Dr Shekhar Sajjanar said that it is legally right to demand Rs 2, but it is morally wrong. “The PIO will spend Rs 25 to send a letter demanding Rs 2, and will again spend Rs 25 to send a page of information. So the particular department or authority will spend Rs.50 to get Rs.2 though they are spending for post officeIt’s a burden on them. However, the authorities are not concerned with such unnecessary expenditure. Instead of making a letter and spending Rs 25 and sending it asking for Rs 2, they can voluntarily share the information in the same envelope,” he said.
JM Rajasekhar, who has authored 16 books on the RTI Act, said that earlier the Information Commissioners used to give verbal instructions to officers to furnish information within five pages free of cost. “As per the Act, non-BPL card holders will have to pay Rs 2 per page, in addition to the information published under section 4 (1) (b) of the Act. Since the state government is collecting Rs 10 as initial fee, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms may issue a circular to provide up to five pages of information free of cost. No need to wait for modification; This issue will be resolved with just one circular.”
Bhagoji T Khanapure, Drugs Controller, whose office has asked for Rs 2, said the PIO has done so as per the Act. “If the applicant is not satisfied, he can file an appeal with the appellate authority” he said.
Nowadays some PIOs are demanding 2 rupeesHowever, a page of information is required to be provided. They are sending the letter by spending Rs.25 for postal and instructing the applicant to pay Rs.2. 30 for postage or courier.
The irony is that the PIO will again spend Rs 25 of the government’s money to send the information, though it is of one page. RTI activists allege that this is a deliberate act by the authorities to discourage citizens from filing RTI.
As per the Act, for providing certified copy of information, PIOs will collect Rs.2 per page.
Bhimanagouda G Paragond, an RTI activist in Athani, told TOI that he has been directed to pay Rs 2 for a one-page information from the Karnataka Drugs Control Department. “The PIO has sent this letter by spending Rs 25 for registered post. Since Rs 2 PO is not available in post offices, we have to get Rs 10 PO, and send it by registered post by spending Rs 25. So it is a burden on the citizens as well as the concerned department. Said.
Former State Information Commissioner Dr Shekhar Sajjanar said that it is legally right to demand Rs 2, but it is morally wrong. “The PIO will spend Rs 25 to send a letter demanding Rs 2, and will again spend Rs 25 to send a page of information. So the particular department or authority will spend Rs.50 to get Rs.2 though they are spending for post officeIt’s a burden on them. However, the authorities are not concerned with such unnecessary expenditure. Instead of making a letter and spending Rs 25 and sending it asking for Rs 2, they can voluntarily share the information in the same envelope,” he said.
JM Rajasekhar, who has authored 16 books on the RTI Act, said that earlier the Information Commissioners used to give verbal instructions to officers to furnish information within five pages free of cost. “As per the Act, non-BPL card holders will have to pay Rs 2 per page, in addition to the information published under section 4 (1) (b) of the Act. Since the state government is collecting Rs 10 as initial fee, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms may issue a circular to provide up to five pages of information free of cost. No need to wait for modification; This issue will be resolved with just one circular.”
Bhagoji T Khanapure, Drugs Controller, whose office has asked for Rs 2, said the PIO has done so as per the Act. “If the applicant is not satisfied, he can file an appeal with the appellate authority” he said.
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