NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS Personnel Public Grievances and Pensions, MoS PMO, Department of Space, Department of Atomic Energy, Dr. Jitendra Singh today released the latest edition of the RTI Journal and unveiled an E-Journal on the website of the National Federation of Information Commissions in India (NFICI).
The Minister was addressing the Inaugural Session of the 15th Annual General Body Meeting of NFICI at the Central Information Commission (CIC), New Delhi.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Information Commissioner of India, Heeralal Samariya, State Chief Information Commissioners and Information Commissioners from across the country.
Highlighting some of the landmark DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training) reforms since 2014, Dr. JitendraSingh recalled the abolition of over 1600 obsolete rules, starting with the practice of getting documents attested by gazetted officers. “This reform sent out a message that this Government trusts the youth of this country, who comprise 70% of the population,” he said.
Dr. Jitendra Singh underlined the enormous push given by the Government over the last decade to foster transparency, accountability and public disclosure of information for citizen-centric governance. He recalled how, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dictum of “Maximum Governance, Minimum Government”, transformational changes were introduced to enhance credibility, disposal rates, and transparency through technology-driven options.
He praised the CIC and State Commissions for achieving almost 100% disposal of RTI cases, even during the COVID-19 lockdown, when sittings were conducted remotely to ensure uninterrupted functioning. “This speaks volumes of the kind of tools that are now available and effectively used to strengthen transparency,” he noted.
Highlighting some of the landmark DoPT reforms since 2014, Dr. JitendraSingh recalled the abolition of over 1600 obsolete rules, starting with the practice of getting documents attested by gazetted officers. “This reform sent out a message that this Government trusts the youth of this country, who comprise 70% of the population,” he said.
Similarly, the abolition of interviews for government recruitment was a bold step to eliminate subjectivity and favoritism and nepotism, making the process more objective, transparent, and merit-based. Dr. Singh said this decision, though initially questioned, ultimately strengthened public trust and credibility in governance.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also spoke about the innovative ‘Human Desk’ experiment introduced to enhance satisfaction levels. “Disposal is important, but so is the citizen’s happiness index. After every RTI disposal, a personal call for counselling or feedback ensures that applicants feel heard and engaged,” he added.
The Minister stressed that most government orders and decisions are already placed in the public domain on official websites, reducing the need for repetitive RTI queries. He suggested that efforts must be made to filter out avoidable or repetitive applications, while strengthening norms and SOPs for efficient redressal.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also appreciated the NFICI for emerging as a platform for coordination, mutual consultation, and sharing of best practices among Information Commissions. He urged Information Commissioners to be more forthcoming with suggestions during their tenure, so that their insights can be implemented in real time.
“RTI and Information Commissions play a pivotal role in reorienting governance towards greater transparency and accountability. With digital platforms like CPGRAMS and technology-driven mechanisms, we are moving closer to a governance system that is both transparent and citizen-friendly,” Dr. Jitendra Singh said.
Heeralal Samariya, Chief Information Commissioner and President, NFICI, delivered the welcome address.
