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State
Level RTI: Andhra Pradesh
Background
Until
recently, Andhra Pradesh did not have a comprehensive access to
information law. However, civil society groups have been active
in lobbying for legislation. Most notably, in August 2001, Loksatta,
a leading civil society organisation, produced a draft
Right to Information Bill for Andhra Pradesh.
Subsequently,
in March 2002 a Cabinet Sub-Committee was set up to consider the
right to information. The Cabinet Sub-Committee was disbanded after
the Central Freedom of Information Act was passed. However, on 27
February 2004, a new Right to Information Committee was constituted.
Despite this no concrete action was taken by the Government towards
the entrenchment of right to information legislation in the State.
Law
In
May 2005, the national Right
to Information Act 2005 was passed by Parliament. The RTI Act
2005 received Presidential assent on 15 June and came fully into
force on 12 October 2005. (For more information on the passage of
the RTI Act 2005 and implementation at the national level, click
here.)
The RTI Act 2005 covers all Central, State and local government
bodies and applies to the State Government of Andhra Pradesh.
The
Andhra Pradesh Government has started implementing the RTI Act
2005. The Andhra Pradesh Government has issued the Andhra
Pradesh Right to Information (Regulation of Fees and Cost) Rules,
2005.
Details
of Fees & Costs
Application
|
No
fee at village level;
Rs 5 at mandal level;
Rs 10 for all other public authority |
Mode
of payment |
Cash against receipt/demand draft/ bankers' cheque. |
Additional
Fees:
(Additional postal charges where
required)
|
|
(A-3
/ A-4) paper created or photo copies |
Rs
2 per page |
Large
size paper |
Actual
cost |
Priced publications, printed matter, text, maps, plans, models or material |
Sale
price |
Maps/plans |
Actual
cost; |
Floppy
of 1.44 MB
CDs of 700 MB
DVD |
Rs
50
Rs 100
Rs 200 |
Samples and models |
Actual Cost |
Inspection
of records |
1st hour free and Rs 5 for each subsequent 15 minutes |
Publication
and printed form |
Actual cost fixed and Rs 2 per page of photocopy and information in printed form
|
Second Appeals and complaints against non-disclosure of information may be filed with the Andhra Pradesh State Information Commission.
State
Information Commission
Newsupdates,
Activities & Advocacy
- Former
Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu has submitted a list of 18
names for the 10 posts of information commissioners under
the RTI Act 2005 to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. For
its part, the Government has submitted three names so far. These
include senior Congress leader Kalwakuntla (Mandarri) Sudhakar
Rao, Congress leader and advocate Ambati Subba Rao and journalist
R. Dileep Reddy.
- Charan
Das Arha, retired bureaucrat, will be the first State Chief Information
Commissioner. His name was cleared by a high-level committee
comprising Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Opposition
leader N. Chandrababu Naidu and Finance Minister K. Rosaiah. According
to official sources, Dileep Reddy, a senior journalist with a
vernacular daily and senior Congress leaders Ambati Subba Rao
and M Sudhakar Manohar Rao have been appointed State Information
Officers. The state government has not confirmed the names officially
saying that an official announcement will be made only after obtaining
clearance from the Governor.
- The Andhra Pradesh Government has published on
its website detailed
information on various government departments including details
of their internal structure, norms, procedures, salaries, etc.
as required under the proactive disclosure obligations of the
RTI Act 2005.
- The Andhra Pradesh Commissionerate of Information
and Public Relations has published zonal lists of PIOs, APIOs,
and First Appellate Authorities nominated under the RTI Act 2005.
- Lok
Satta along with print and electronic media is leading a massive
campaign for improving citizens' awareness on the RTI Act 2005.
Civil servants are also being supported so that they are able
to provide information as required under the RTI Act 2005. Nearly
1.75 lakh publicity material including booklets, posters and pamphlets
have been distributed and are being displayed across the state.
The Andra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is
collaborating with Lok Satta and is prominently displaying RTI
posters in nearly 10,000 of their buses. Television channels are
airing free of charge, the public service messages created by
Lok Satta. This campaign is being conducted across the State,
in collaboration with the Centre for Good Governance (CGG), AP
Press Academy (APPA) and AP Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ).
- Loksatta
is a non-partisan people's movement for better governance and
electoral reforms. It is a grassroots organisation, which works
mainly in Andhra Pradesh. Loksatta has been very active on RTI
since 2001. Loksatta is also actively undertaking Election Watch
work, including raising the issue of right to information via
common platforms in all constituencies in the state.
For further information: Contact Loksatta at Foundation
for Democratic Reforms / Lok Satta 401, Nirmal Towers, Dwarakapuri
Colony, Panjagutta, Hyderabad-82, India. Tel: 91-40-3350778 /
3350790. Fax: 91-40-3350783. Email: loksatta@satyam.net.in.
Website: www.loksatta.org.
Resources
& Articles
Government
CHRI
- CHRI (2005) Forwarding Information Requests and
Appeals: A Step by Step Guide for Assistant Public Information
Officers under the Right to Information Act 2005, prepared by
Mr Venkatesh Nayak.
- CHRI (2005) Processing Information Requests:
A Step by Step Guide for Assistant Public Information Officers
under the Right to Information Act 2005, prepared by Mr Venkatesh
Nayak.
Miscellaneous
Links
EMAIL
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