File RTI applications, pay fee online; govt launches portal

August 21, 2013
New Delhi, Aug 21: Taking a step towards greater transparency in governance, the government today launched an exclusive portal to enable citizens to file RTI applications online for all central government ministries. RTI

The portal--www.rtionline.gov.in-- was launched today by Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V Narayanasamy here.

"This is a very important initiative by the government. Without filling any paper or going to any office, citizens can file RTI applications online," he said after inaugurating the website.Narayanasamy said the RTI was a weapon in the hands of people and it was doing wonders across the country.

"At present, about 82 central government ministries have been covered with this portal. Soon we will bring all Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under it," the Minister said.

The Ministry of Personnel, which acts as administrative department for implementation of the transparency law, will also write to all state governments asking them to adopt this platform of online filing of RTI applications.

"We will be writing a letter to all state governments asking them to follow this facility," he said, adding the government intends to strengthen people by many more such steps.

The Centre's flagship Right to Information Act, which was enacted in 2005, mandates timely response-- within 30 days -- to citizen requests for government information. One has to pay a fee of Rs 10 for seeking information.

An information seeker can submit a fee of Rs 10 via Internet banking through SBI and its associated banks using the website. One can also use credit or debit cards.

At present, the text of an application that can be uploaded at the prescribed column (on the website while filing application) is confined to 3,000 characters only.

In case an application contains more than 3,000 characters, it can be uploaded as an attachment. An applicant also get an alert on his or her mobile about movement of the applications.

Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), S K Sarkar, who was also present at the function, said the launch of RTI portal is a "culmination of efforts being put up by the government since 2005" towards strengthening people's right to know.

"There has been increase in filing of RTI applications. There were about 24,000 RTI applications filed in 2005-06. In 2011-12, the number has touched 6.7 lakh," he said.Central Information Commissioner (CIC) Satyanand Mishra said it was an extremely relevant contemporary step.

"The information can be sent online via database or scanning hard copies of documents. There will be no exchange of papers. Online filing of RTI applications will take away the use of papers," Mishra said.

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News Network
May 7,2020

May 7: Two people, including a child, were killed and nearly 70 hospitalised after a gas leak at a chemical plant in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam in the wee hours of Thursday, officials said.

People in Gopalapatnam area, where the chemical plant, LG Polymers, is located, complained of irritation in eyes, breathlessness, nausea and rashes on their bodies.

District Collector V Vinay Chand said two people were killed due to the gas leak, while some are in a critical condition.

Close to 70 people have been admitted to the King George Hospital after for treatment, he said.

TV channels showed people lying unconscious on roads.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have rushed to the spot.

Reports said the gas leak has been contained.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy enquired about the incident and directed the Visakhapatnam district collector to ensure proper medical care for the affected people.

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News Network
January 27,2020

Jan 27: Bidders for Air India Ltd. will need to absorb $3.26 billion of its debt, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration tries once again to sell the national carrier.

The entire company will be sold but effective control needs to stay with Indian nationals, according to preliminary terms published Monday. Bids are invited by March 17 with Ernst & Young LLP India as transaction adviser.

Air India, which started in 1932 as a mail carrier before winning commercial popularity, saw its fortunes fade with the emergence of cutthroat low-cost competition. The state-run airline has been unprofitable for over a decade and is saddled with more than $8 billion in debt.

Indian regulations allow a foreign airline to buy as much as 49% of a local carrier, while overseas investors other than airlines can buy an entire carrier. The government didn’t find a single bidder when it tried to sell Air India in 2018.

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News Network
January 30,2020

Mumbai, Jan 30: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has arrested Dr Kafeel Khan from Mumbai airport for allegedly making inflammatory statements at AMU during protests against the Citizenship Amendments Act (CAA) last month, officials said.

Khan was arrested on Wednesday night with assistance from Mumbai Police at the airport when he arrived in the city to attend anti-CAA protests, an official said.

"Officials of the UP STF arrested Dr Kafeel Khan in a case which was registered at Civil Lines Police Station under section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups) of IPC. Our police team helped our UP counterparts on their request," said an official from Mumbai Police.

He claimed that Khan had made inflammatory statements on December 12 last year during the protest near Bab e Syed Gate outside the Aligarh Muslim University in front of more than 600 students.

The official also alleged that the Gorakhpur doctor had made objectionable comments against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The FIR against Khan mentions that Swaraj India's president Yogendra Yadav was also present during the speech at AMU.

Following the arrest in the case, Khan was taken to the Sahar Police Station and after completing formalities he will be taken to UP on transit remand, the official said.

Khan, a paediatrician, had come to the limelight in 2017 when a controversy broke out after the death of over 60 children in less than a week at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, UP.

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