Over 32,000 RTI appeals pending with Central Information Commission: Govt

More than 32,000 RTI appeals are pending with the Central Information Commission, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said there was a pendency of 35,178 and 38,116 RTI appeals during 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively.

A total of 32,147 RTI appeals were pending in 2021-22, as on December 6, 2021, he said.

Singh said the government has taken several steps like capacity building through training and issuance of guidelines for Public Information Officers and First Appellate Authorities, so as to enable them to supply information/dispose of first appeal effectively, resulting in less number of appeals to the information commission.

The government has also issued clarificatory orders impressing upon the public authorities to disclose maximum information proactively so that citizens need not resort to filing of Right to Information (RTI) applications to access information available with the public authorities, he said.

The Department of Personnel and Training is implementing an annual programme 'Improving Transparency and Accountability in Government through Effective Implementation of RTI Act' wherein state administrative training institutes (ATIs) and State Information Commissions (SICs) have been given financial assistance for awareness generation on RTI by taking up various activities which may include 'nukkad natak' (street plays), use of local folk troupes, development of publicity material in local languages, distance learning programmes, online certificate courses in regional languages, among others, the minister added.