Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain Launches Online Portal of Information Commission | 13 Oct 2022

Why In News?

• On October 12, 2022, Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh Amitabh Jain launched the online web portal of the State Information Commission prepared by the State Government in the State Information Commission office.

Key Points

• With this, Chhattisgarh has become the sixth state in India, where applicants can apply in all three levels (Public Information Officer, First Appellate Officer and Second Appeal) under the online process.
• Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain while suggesting on this occasion said that online web portal should be made in Hindi so that people who are less educated in the matter of computer, it is easy to use it and whose benefit can be given to the common citizens more and more.
• He suggested that in order to make the Right to Information more effective, the Public Relations Department and the Commission should together make short videos in the local language of Chhattisgarh and tell the entire process of online web portal, so that common citizens can take maximum benefit of this portal.
• He said that it would be more beneficial if the online right to information portal is publicized in the Hindi at the college level through the Higher Education Department and also through the members of Rajiv Yuva Mitan Club.
• Chief Information Commissioner M.K. Raut said that this online web portal will be operational 24×7. Applicants, Public Information Officer / First Appellate Officer and Second Appeal can send applications online. Under the Right to Information Act, the desired fee can also be deposited online.
• The Chief Information Commissioner informed that there are more than 14 thousand public information officers in the state, public information officers of all departments of Chhattisgarh can register themselves online in this portal. Also, by filling the details of the first appellate officers and nodal officers, you can forward them to the concerned. The concerned First Appellate Officer and Nodal Officer will have to verify it, after that the registration will be completed.
• M.K. Raut said that the citizens of remote areas of the state would be able to get the benefit of this. The applicant can upload his application online as well as deposit the fee online. Applicants will not be required to attach Non-Judicial Stamp/Bank Draft/Postal Order/Money Order. Also, there will be no need to come personally to the departmental offices and submit the application or send the application through post.
• He said that after the online application is registered in the portal, the accountability of the Public Information Officer will increase and within 30 days, the applicant will be forced to give online information.