1) The document discusses the Right to Information Act (RTI) in India, which aims to promote transparency and accountability in government. 2) It covers all government bodies at the central, state, and local levels, as well as organizations that receive government funding. It defines information broadly and establishes processes for citizens to request information from public officials. 3) The RTI Act sets up Independent Information Commissions at the central and state levels to oversee information disclosures and investigate complaints about non-compliance, with powers to impose penalties on officials who do not fulfill information requests appropriately.

1. Subject: Business Etiquettes & Presentation Skills II
Submitted By: Himanshu T.Patel
Class: TYBBA
Roll No: 26
College: C.P.Patet & F.H.Shah College,Anand.

2. RIGHT
TO
INFORMATION ACT
(RTI)
A Tool for Good Governance
PURPOSE :-
 Transparency
 Accountability

3. Introduction :-
• Comes into effect 120 days after enactment.
• Covers central, state and local governments, and
– all bodies owned, controlled or substantially financed;
– non-government organisation substantially financed,
directly or indirectly by funds provided by the
appropriate Government (2(h))
• Covers executive, judiciary and legislature (2(e))
• Covers central, state and local governments.
• Includes information relating to private bodies which can be
accessed under any other law for the time being in force (2(f))

4. RTI Objectives :-
• To set out a practical regime of right to information for
citizens of India
• To secure access to information under the control of public
authorities
• To promote transparency and accountability in the working of
every public authority
• To contain corruption
• To increase citizens’ awareness and ability to exercise their
other rights
• To equip them to participate meaningfully in the development
process

5. The RTI Act Definition :-
• What does information mean?
“Information means any material in any form including records,
documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press
releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports,
papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic
form and information relating to any private body which can
be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the
time being in force”.
• "information" includes any material in any form, opinions,
advices, and samples.
• "right to information" includes inspection of work, records;
taking certified samples of material.

6. Who are covered under RTI? :-
Covers all PUBLIC AUTHORITIES which means:
o Any body constituted under the Constitution or a law made by
Parliament or State Legislatures.
o Any body constituted by a notification or order issued by the
Central / State Governments.
o The Act extends to the whole of India except the State of
Jammu and Kashmir.
o Any body owned, controlled or substantially financed by the
Central Government or the State Government.

7. Role of Public information Officers (PIOs)
Who are Public Information Officers (PIOs)?
- PIOs are officers designated by the public authorities in all
administrative units or offices under it to provide information
to the citizens requesting for information under the Act.
-Any officer, whose assistance has been sought by the PIO
forth proper discharge of his or her duties, shall render all
assistance and for the purpose of contraventions of the
provisions of this Act, such other officer shall be treated as aPIO.
-PIO shall deal with requests from persons seeking information
and where the request cannot be made in writing, to render
reasonable assistance to the person to reduce the same in
writing.

8. The RTI Act Processes :-

9. Exemption :-
 Who are Exempted ?
Intelligence and security organizations established by the Central
or State Governments as notified from time to
time.However, information relating to alleged corruption or
human rights violations is not exempted from disclosure.
 Exempt Information:
 Information which would prejudicially affect
sovereignty and integrity of India; security/ strategic/
scientific/ economic interests of the State;relation with
foreign State .
 Information which might incite an offence
 Information which
i. is forbidden by a court;
ii. that causes a breach of privilege of the Legislature;
iii. would harm the competitive position of a third party;

10. Appeals(Section 19) :-
• Appeals: Internal and External Level
– First appeal with senior in the department
– Second appeal with Information Commission
– Appeals to be settled in 30-45 days
– Onus of proof on denial/public authority
• Envisages an independent Information Commission at the
Central and State level.
• To be appointed by a committee of PM/CM, leader of
opposition and one minister.

11. Penalty Provisions (Section 20):-
PIO liable to a fine of Rs. 250 per day up to a maximum of Rs.
25,000/- for
 not accepting an application;
delaying information release without reasonable cause;
malafidely denying information;
knowingly giving incomplete, incorrect or misleading
information;
destroying information that has been requested; and
obstructing furnishing of information in any manner.
CIC/SIC empowered to impose penalty on PIO. They can also
recommend disciplinary action against an erring PIO.

12. Conclusion : What You Can Do?
 People holding ration cards can check the stocks and sales registers
held by ration card dealers and the food department to make sure
that they are getting their proper amount of rations and that
rations are not being siphoned off in their name;
 Parents can ask for details of grants made to government-aided
schools to ensure that funds are being spent properly, or can check
that admissions are not being bought through bribes or that funds
meant to education are not being diverted for other purposes;
 Owners of small businesses can find out the basis on which licenses
and/or tax concession and subsidies are granted by government in
granting licenses / concessions/ subsidies on the basis of properly
applied criteria;
 Unemployed people can ask about the criteria for giving
government jobs or the status of their application and position in
the waitlist;
 People can check on the progress of their applications for
government services, e.g.. By checking the status of an application
for an electricity or water connection, including which officers have
handled the file, over what period of time and what action was
taken.

13. Conclusion:
The largest democratic nation, India has survived all
vicissitudes, turbulences of all kinds over the last half century
and more.
In that context, the bringing into being of the RTI has been an
important milestone. The Act that came into being last year
assures every citizen the right to know what the citizen
should, and throws open the system of governance to total
transparency and therefore inescapable accountability.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
Inaugural Address at the National
Convention on RTI

14. Thank You