Send e-replies to lawmakers' queries, Delhi govt tells city departments

With an aim of promoting paperless transaction, the Delhi Assembly has directed city government departments to send their replies to questions asked by lawmakers via email and in a pen drive.

In a recent directive to the head of all departments of the city government, the Delhi secretariat said they should use the PDF format to file their replies to questions asked by MLAs during the Question Hour in the assembly.

An official said the system will come into effect when the four-day Monsoon session of the assembly begins on August 8.

"All principal secretaries, secretaries and head of departments should send replies by e-mail and in a pen drive. Reply of each question should be given in separate PDF files along with requisite enclosures, if any," the directive stated.

The official said the move is a step in aimed at making Delhi Assembly transactions paperless.

However, the lawmakers would continue to get hard copies of replies in the House.

"After receiving the soft copies of replies, the secretariat will upload them on the assembly's website so that people won't need to file RTI applications for the same," the official said requesting anonymity.

On July 10, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said the AAP government would put all relevant information online to ensure transparency in its functioning.

Kejriwal had said the government also plans to upload all RTI replies online to ensure there was no repetition of applications.