Right to Information Part 2

Can I submit my application only with the PIO? 
No, in case the PIO is not available you can submit your application with the Assistant PIO or any other officer designated to accept the RTI applications.

Where can I locate the concerned PIO? 
A list of PIOs/APIOs and Appellate Authorities for all Central and State departments/Ministries is available online at www.rti.gov.in

What if I can not locate my PIO or APIO? 
In case you have problems locating your PIO/APIO you can address your RTI application to the PIO C/o Head of Department and send it to the concerned public authority with the requisite application fee. The Head of Department will have to forward your application to the concerned PIO.

Do I have to personally go to deposit my application? 
Depending on your state rules for mode of payment you can deposit your application for information from the concerned departments of your state government via post by attaching a DD, Money Order, Postal Order or affixing Court fee Stamp 
For all Central government departments the Department of Posts has designated 629 postal offices at the national level. The designated officers in these post offices work as Assistant PIOs and collect the application to forward to the concerned PIO. A list is available on http://www.indiapost.gov.in/rticontents.html

Is there a time limit to receiving information? 
Yes. If you file your application with the PIO, you must receive information within 30 days. 
In case you have filed your application with Assistant PIO then information has to be made available within 35 days. 
In case the matter to which the information pertains affects the life and liberty of an individual, information has to be made available in 48 hours.

Do I have to give reasons why I want a particular information? 
Absolutely not! You are not required to give any reasons or additional information other than your contact details (i.e., Name, Address, and Phone No.). Sec 6(2) clearly says that no information other than contact details of the applicant shall be asked.

Can the PIO refuse to accept my RTI application? 
No. The PIO can not refuse to accept your application for information under any circumstances. Even if the information does not pertain to his/her department/jurisdiction, s/he has to accept it. If the application does not pertain to that PIO, he would have to transfer it to the right PIO within 5 days under sec 6(2). 
Why is it that RTI works when no other law has worked

There have been many good laws in this country but none of those laws worked. Why do you think this law would work?

This law is already working. This is because for the first time in the history of independent India, there is a law which casts a direct accountability on the officer for non-performance. If concerned officer does not provide information in time, a penalty of Rs 250 per day of delay can be imposed by the Information Commissioner. If the information provided is false, a penalty of a maximum of Rs 25000 can be imposed. A penalty can also be imposed for providing incomplete or for rejecting your application for malafide reasons. This fine is deducted from the officer’s personal salary.

Has any penalty been imposed so far?

Yes, some officers have been penalized by the Central as well as State Information Commissioners.

Does the Applicant get the amount fined to the PIO?

No. The amount fined is deposited in the government treasury. However, under sec 19, the applicant can seek compensation.

What should I do if I do not receive satisfactory information 
What can I do if I do not receive information? 
If you do not receive information or are dissatisfied with the information received, you can file an appeal with the first appellate authority under section 19 (1) of the right to Information Act.

Who is a First Appellate authority? 
Every public authority must designate a First Appellate Authority. This officer designated is the officer senior in rank to your PIO.

Is there a form for the first appeal? 
No there is no form for filing a first appeal (but some state governments have prescribed a form). Draft your appeal application on a blank sheet of paper addressed to the First Appellate Authority. Remember to attach a copy of your original application and a copy of the reply in whatever form (if received) from the PIO.

Do I have to pay a fee for the first appeal? 
No. You are not required to pay any fee for the first appeal. However, some state governments have prescribed a fee.

In how many days can I file my first appeal? 
You can file your first appeal within 30 days of receipt of information or within 60 days of filing RTI application (if no information received).

What if I do not receive the information after the first appeal process? 
If you do not receive information even after the first appeal then you can take the matter forward to the second appeal stage.

What is a second appeal? 
A second appeal is the last option under the RTI Act to get the information requested. You can file second appeal with the Information Commission. For appeals against Central Government Departments, you have Central Information Commission (CIC). For every state Government, there is a State Information Commission.

Is there a form for the second appeal? 
No there is no form for filing a second appeal (but some state governments have prescribed a form for second appeal too). Draft your appeal application on a normal sheet of paper addressed to the Central or State Information Commission. Carefully read the appeal rules before drafting your second appeal. Your second appeal application can be rejected if it does not comply with the appeal rules. 
Do I have to pay a fee for the second appeal? 
No. You are not required to pay any fee for the second appeal. However, some states have prescribed a fee for that.

In how many days can I file my second appeal? 
You can file your second appeal within 90 days of disposal of first appeal or within 90 days of the date, by when first appeal was to be decided.

How does this law help me in getting my work done 
How does this law work so effectively for pending works i.e. why is it that the government officials end up doing your work which they were not doing earlier? 
Let us take the case of Nannu. He was not being given his ration card. But when he applied under RTI, he was given a card within a week. What did Nannu ask? He asked the following questions:

• I filed an application for a duplicate ration card on 27th January 2004. Please tell me the daily progress made on my application so far. i.e. when did my application reach which officer, for how long did it stay with that officer and what did he/she do during that period?
• According to the rules, my card should have been made in 10 days. However, it is more than three months now. Please give the names and designations of the officials who were supposed to take action on my application and who have not done so?
• What action would be taken against these officials for not doing their work and for causing harassment to the public? By when would that action be taken?
• By when would I get my card now?

In normal circumstances, such an application would be thrown in a dustbin. But this law says that the Government has to reply in 30 days. If they don’t do that, their salary could be deducted. Now, it is not easy to answer these questions.

The first question is – please provide the daily progress made on my application.

There is no progress made. But the government officials cannot write in these many words that they have not acted for so many months. Else that would be admission of guilt on paper.

The next question is – please provide the names and designations of the officers who were supposed to take action on my application and who had not done so

If the government provides names and designations of the officials, their responsibility gets fixed. Any officer is most scared of fixing of responsibility against him in this manner. So, the moment one files such an application, his/her pending work is done.

What should I do after getting information? 
There cannot be one answer for that. It depends on why you asked for that information and what type of information is it. Often a lot of things start falling in place just by asking for information. For instance, you would get your passport or a ration card just by your asking for the status of your application. In many cases, roads got repaired as soon as the money spent on its repairs in the last few repairs was asked. So, seeking information and questioning the government is an important step, which in itself is complete in many cases. 
But suppose you expose some corruption or wrongdoing using RTI. Then, you can complain to vigilance agencies, CBI or even file an FIR. But it is seen that the Government does not take any action against the guilty even after repeated complaints. Though one can keep up the pressure on vigilance agencies by seeking to know the status of complaints under RTI, however, the wrongdoings can also be exposed through media. However, experience has not been very encouraging at getting guilty punished. But one thing is certain. Seeking information like this and exposing wrongdoings does improve the future. The officials get a clear message that the people of that area have become alert and any wrongdoings in future would not remain hidden as they were in the past. So, their risks of getting caught increase.

Previous Post:- Right to Information Part 1

Apurv Gourav 

India shares 21 percent of global diseases: WHO

India needs to dramatically improve its health situation to sustain growth as it shares 21 percent of the global disease burden, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official said Friday.

Speaking at a seminar on "Public Heath: Engaging the diaspora" on the first day of Pravasi Bharti Diwas function here, Nata Menabde, the WHO representative in India, said no country had succeeded without solving basic health problems.


According to Menabde, India has 17 percent of the world's population but its total share of global disease burden is 21 percent.

"It is not doing well in the global context," she said, adding that 42 percent of the disease burden related to communicable diseases.

Menabde said that money cannot be an excuse in providing health care as the country loses almost six percent of GDP "due to poor health of people".

She said the World Bank had estimated that India loses 54 billion dollars annually "in various diseases" and loss of productivity.

She suggested inter-sectoral action to improve health care through infrastucture development including sanitation, roads and water and called for improvement of health systems.

Ramesh Mehta, president of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), said there were 1.2 million Indian doctors worldwide and all of them have a feeling for their motherland.

"Many of them are doing work individually. We are keen to coordinate the efforts to make it more efficient," Mehta said.

Keshav Desiraju, additional secretary at the ministry of health and family welfare, said that primary health centres were not functioning at optimum levels in many states and more doctors were needed in rural areas.

Prabhat Jha, professor at Toronto University, said that affordable antigens were not being chosen for rural areas and said the diaspora could be mobilized for better research. 


Sources:- Silicon India

Happy New Year 2011

Success is failure turned inside out—

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And when you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit—

It's when things seem worst, you mustn't quit.

Chrishmas Wishes

Love, Peace and Joy came down on earth on Christmas day to make you happy and cheerful. May Christmas spread cheer in your lives!

54 % Indians paid bribe last year

A/C to recent survey and studies 54 people out of 100 they give bribe to their work done on time or before.Its a very pathetic situation in India not only in India all over the world. One side we are implementing E- Governance for transparency in Government or Private work, we are adopting new technology for reducing or minimizing corruption. This reports is really eye opener for us.   

One person in four worldwide paid bribe during the past year while 54 percent Indians say they greased the palms of authorities to get things done, says a study released today to mark International Anti-Corruption Day.

"Corruption has increased over the last three years, say six out of 10 people around the world, and one in four people report paying bribes in the last year," the Berlin-based non- governmental agency, Transparency International (TI), said.

Releasing the findings of the 2010 Global Corruption Barometer , a worldwide public opinion survey on corruption, TI said it showed that in the past 12 months one in four people paid bribe to one of nine institutions and services, from health to education to tax authorities.

The police are named the most frequent recipient of bribes, according to those surveyed, with 29 percent of those who had contact with the police reporting that they paid bribe.

The biggest number of reported bribery payments in 2010 is in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cameroon, India, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Palestine, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Uganda where more than 50 percent of people surveyed paid bribe in the past 12 months.

In India, 54 percent of users of services said they paid bribe to receive attention from service providers.

Almost half of all respondents say they paid bribes to avoid problems with the authorities and a quarter say it was to speed up processes.

Most worrying is the fact that bribes to the police have almost doubled since 2006, and more people report paying bribes to the judiciary and for registry and permit services than they did so five years ago, TI said.

Worldwide, sub-Saharan Africa was the region reporting the greatest incidence of bribery with more than one person in two saying they had made such payments to officials in the past 12 months.

The Middle East and North Africa was the next most corrupt regions with 36 percent of people there reporting having paid bribes.

This compared to 32 percent in the former Soviet republics, 23 percent in South America, 19 percent in the Balkans and Turkey, 11 percent in the Asia-Pacific region and five percent in the European Union and North America.

The United Nations established International Anti-Corruption Day in 2003 to raise awareness of graft and promote the global fight against it. 

CWG 2010 Delhi: Hope For Olympic Hosting

CWG 2010 Delhi The 70000 Cr games  Ended successfully on 13th of October at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Delhi. India wins total 101 Medals and ranked 2nd.Now we are enough Capable to host Olympics Game in India. Just forget about the Negative viwes about scams and all.  

The Commonwealth Games 2010 are over finally and nobody has or should have any doubt about India's successful hosting of the mega event. Yes, there are dark sides and controversies making huge hue and cry, but will it be fair if we overlook the other side of it, the side which has enough justifications for being positive?

Before the CWG started, every day we came across news questioning India's ability in hosting the gaming extravaganza. There were so many reasons the New Delhi Commonwealth Games were under threat, construction delays and security concerns being the significant ones. There were pictures in front page of many leading newspapers showing the loopholes of the infrastructure. They are not and can't be blamed to be fake, but what does matter the most is all those loopholes were plugged and India delivered a successful show.

Putting aside the story of the CWG scam for a while, just think what the Games has brought to us, what it has offered to the sporting community. The Indians who are way too crazy about Cricket, the Commonwealth Games have spurred an interest among them in other sporting disciplines. When the Indian athletes were winning gold medals in various events, audience were shouting and waving the tri-colour in their support - a much common scene in a cricket stadium.

The athletes of our country have also contributed to the success story of this year's Commonwealth Games with their historic performances that put India at the second position on the medal standings behind Australia. But too much focus on the negative aspects such as the overall cost and the pre-games controversies have shadowed all and we are left with bold headlines telling about the so called CWG scam.

The Central Vigilance Commission has found too many discrepancies. No questions on these findings, we don't support the corruption involved in it. But there are truths that have been remained untold till yet. The infrastructure might take time to get ready, but the venues like Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex, Thyagraj Sports Complex and Indira Gandhi Sports Complex were all of very high standards, especially the housing facilities have been praised as world-class. There were locker rooms, lounge and a dedicated transport lane for players. About 100,000 police and military personnel secured the Capital, and security precautions were intense.

There are positive vibes about CWG that we, Indians, need to realize and spread. Let's cherish those 101 medals. That's what the intention behind these words.

Office Etiquette: what to do and what not to

Many people spend more time with their colleagues than with members of their own family. That's reason enough to strive for a good climate in the workplace. Observing a few rules of etiquette is often sufficient to get along with co-workers.

There are so many pitfalls between the office kitchen and the conference room.

Gossiping about colleagues, getting too familiar with superiors or wearing a far-too-deeply plunging neckline are perfect ways to earn a dubious reputation on the job. People who want to work in an office with a nice atmosphere should by all means watch their manners while on the job.

Here's a list of the most important rules guiding office behavior:

Be punctual and dependable

"Most people become annoyed when someone wastes their time," said Susanne Helbach-Grosser, a business etiquette trainer in Germany. Employees should ask for help early when they are unable to handle their workload, but they should also be aware that if they constantly complain about stress it can get on their co-workers' nerves.

Eating at one's desk

When someone occasionally munches an apple at his or her desk, it is completely acceptable, said Agnes Jarosch of a German organization dedicated to counseling people about etiquette. "But when I sit at my desk and unpack a steaming hot cutlet that spreads its aroma throughout the bureau, that is inconsiderate toward colleagues," said Jarosch. It's better to consume meals like that in the break room or at a restaurant.

Heat on or window open?

This is a classic conflict because it's often the case that the room temperature is too hot for one colleague, but too cold for another. "There's often a row when a co-worker simply throws a window open or lowers the air conditioning without asking first," said Helbach-Grosser. There's no simple solution for this problem. "The colleagues must talk with each other. There's no way around it."

Office attire for men

Men have it easier than women when it comes to selecting the right clothing for the office, said style consultant Renate Sperber. Men don't always have to wear a business suit, however.

"It's important that his clothes are well-groomed. Thanks to its collar, a polo shirt has a completely different effect than a simple T-shirt," Sperber said. "But a colleague who wears a wrinkled T-shirt to work signals to his colleagues that he doesn't care what impression he makes on them. That isn't much appreciated."

Office attire for women

"Women should uphold the business dress code unfailingly," said Sperber. Dressing in sexy clothing is taboo. Women can get by with wearing bright colors these days. "But the trend is moving toward neat and preppy. You should also occasionally dress in a solid color." She added that discreet makeup is an absolute must.

Mobile phone etiquette

As long as there are not constantly private conversations, using a private mobile phone in the office usually doesn't cause a problem, said Helbach-Grosser. But be careful with ring tones: Those that make the sound of a crying baby or tweeting birds for example are unprofessional, she said.

Ladies first

"Certain chivalrous gestures continue to make a good impression," said Jarosch. But colleagues should realize that woman can also be polite. When a male colleague carries a huge pile of files, for example, the female colleague should hold the door open for him.

Source: IANS

India ranked 3rd among most powerful nations

Washington: India is listed as the third most powerful country in the world after the U.S. and China and the fourth most powerful bloc after the U.S., China and the European Union in a new official U.S. report.

The new global power lineup for 2010 also predicted that New Delhi's clout in the world will further rise by 2025, according to "Global Governance 2025" jointly issued by the National Intelligence Council (NIC) of the US and the European Union's Institute for Security Studies (EUISS).

Using the insights of a host of experts from Brazil, Russia, India and China, among others, and fictionalised scenarios, the report illustrates what could happen over the next 25 years in terms of global governance.

In 2010, the U.S. tops the list of powerful countries/regions, accounting for nearly 22 percent of the global power.

The U.S. is followed by China with European Union at 16 percent and India at eight percent. India is followed by Japan, Russia and Brazil with less than five percent each.

According to this international futures model, by 2025 the power of the U.S., EU, Japan and Russia will decline while that of China, India and Brazil will increase, even though there will be no change in this listing.

By 2025, the U.S. will still be the most powerful country of the world, but it will have a little over 18 percent of the global power.

The U.S. will be closely followed by China with 16 percent, European Union with 14 percent and India with 10 per cent.

"The growing number of issues on the international agenda, and their complexity, is outpacing the ability of international organizations and national governments to cope," the report warns.

This critical turning point includes issues of climate change, ethnic and regional conflicts, new technology, and the managing of natural resources.

The report also highlights the challenges proponents of effective global governance face.

On one hand, rapid globalization, economic and otherwise, has led to an intertwining of domestic politics and international issues and fueled the need for more cooperation and more effective leadership.

But on the other hand, an increasingly multipolar world, often dominated by non-state actors, have put a snag in progress toward effectual global governance, it said. 
Source :- Silicon India

Keep Yourself Busy To Stay Happy

People who have something to do, even if pointless, are happier than those who sit idle, say researchers.

The study was conducted by Christopher K. Hsee and Adelle X. Yang of the University of Chicago and Liangyan Wang of the Shanghai Jiaotong University.

"The general phenomenon I'm interested in is why people are so busy doing what they are doing in modern society," says Hsee.

Sure, there are reasons, like making a living, earning money, accruing fame, helping others, and so on, reported the Psychological Science journal.

But, Hsee says, "I think there's something deeper: We have excessive energy and we want to avoid idleness."

For the study, volunteers completed a survey, then had to wait 15 minutes before the next survey would be ready.

They could drop off the completed survey at a nearby location and wait out the remaining time or drop it off at a location, where walking back and forth would keep them busy for the 15 minutes.

Either way, they would receive a candy when they handed in their survey. Volunteers who chose to stay busy by going to the faraway locations were found to be happier than those who chose to be idle.
Sources :- SiliconVelly

Happy Teachers Day (Dr Radha Krishnan)

"A life of joy and happiness is possible only on the basis of knowledge and science":- Dr Krishnan

Born: September 5, 1888
Died: April 17, 1975
Achievements: First Vice President and second President of India. Placed Indian philosophy on world map.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was first Vice President of India and second President of India. He was also a philosopher and introduced the thinking of western idealist philosophers into Indian thought. He was a famous teacher and his birthday is celebrated as Teacher's Day in India.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888 at Tirutani, Madras in a poor Brahmin family. As his father was poor Radhakrishnan supported most of his education through scholarships. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had his early education at Gowdie School, Tiruvallur and then went to the Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati for his high school. He joined the Voorhee's College in Vellore and later switched to the Madras Christian College. He chose Philosophy as his major subject and did his B.A. and M.A. in it.

After completing his M.A., Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, accepted an Assistant Lectureship at the Madras Presidency College in 1909. In college, he mastered the classics of Hindu philosophy, namely the Upanishads, Bhagvad Gita, Brahmasutra, and commentaries of Sankara, Ramunuja and Madhava. He also acquainted himself with Buddhist and Jain philosophy and philosophies of Western thinkers such as Plato, Plotinus, Kant, Bradley, and Bergson.

In 1918, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was selected as Professor of Philosophy by the University of Mysore. In 1921, Radhakrishnan was nominated as Professor of Philosophy at the Calcutta University, 1921. In 1923, Dr. Radhakrishnan's book "Indian Philosophy" was published. The book was hailed as a "philosophical classic and a literary masterpiece."

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was called to Oxford University, to deliver lectures on Hindu philosophy. He used his lectures as a platform to further India's cause for freedom. He also argued that Western philosophers, despite all claims to objectivity, were biased by theological influences from their wider culture. He showed that Indian philosophy, once translated into standard academic jargon, is worthy of being called philosophy by Western standards. He thus placed Indian Philosophy on world map.

In 1931, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was elected Vice Chancellor of the Andhra University. In 1939, Radhakrishnan became the Vice Chancellor of the Benaras Hindu University. In 1946, he was appointed as Ambassador to UNESCO. After Independence Dr. Radhakrishnan was requested to Chair the University Education Commission in 1948. The Radhakrishnan Committee's suggestions helped mould the education system for India's needs.

In 1949, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was appointed ambassador to the Soviet Union. He helped laid the foundation for a strong relationship with Soviet Union. Radhakrishnan was elected first Vice-President of India in 1952. He was honored with the Bharat Ratna in 1954. After serving two terms as Vice-President, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was elected President of India in 1962. During his tenure as President India fought wars with China and Pakistan. As President he helped see India through those trying years safely. He retired as President in 1967 and settled in Madras.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan died on April 17, 1975.