Information from the government will soon be just a click or call away. Admitting that people are facing problems in using the provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005, the central government has decided to set up a call centre and interactive website to facilitate citizens seeking information about the transparency act and also filing of RTI applications and first appeals online.
The project was planned after the government noticed numerous problems that hindered the RTI Act achieving its full potential.
According to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), which is the nodal department for handling RTI related matters, one of the main objectives behind the planned call centre and website is to address citizens’ handicap arising out of illiteracy in filing RTI applications, to save money, reduce inefficient practices and to promote transparency at government offices.
The agency selected would set up, operate and maintain the RTI call centre to facilitate voice calls, SMS and Inter Voice Response System managed calls, besides developing, and maintaining the portal. Once set up, the agency would have to operate it for five years.
The call centre would support operations in Hindi and English, with a provision for regional languages later on. It will function from 8 am to 8 pm seven days a week. Citizens would be able to track their applications and appeals with the help of a Unique Reference Number given to them.
The portal, however, would be functional 24x7 (throughout the year). Citizens would be able to make payment for information through debit cards, credit cards and even internet banking facilities.
