The RTI Act, 2005 seeks to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. Head of every public authority has a statutory responsibility under RTI Act to set out this regime of information sharing in his/her organization.
An important aspect of the Act pertains to the obligation of public authorities to proactively disclose information to the public. The RTI Act mandates every public authority to:
(a) Disclose information as required under the 17 sub- clauses of section 4(1) (b).
(b) Public all relevant facts while formulating important policies or announcing the decisions which affect public section 4(1) (c)
(c) Provide reasons for its administrative or quasi- judicial decisions to affected persons section 4(1)(d)
(d) Update the information provided under section 4(1)(b) every year section 4(1)(b)(XvII)
(e) Take steps to provide the information suomotu to the public at regular intervals so that public has minimum resort to the use of this Act to obtain information section 4(2)
(f) Disseminate information widely and in a form and manner easily accessible to the public section 4(3)
(g) Provide information in the local language and adopt the most effective method of communication for dissemination of information.
(h) Make information accessible to the extent possible in electronic format with the concerned public information officer, available free of cost or such cost the medium or the prescribed print cost price section 4(4).
Means of dissemination are:
(a) Notice Boards
(b) Newspapers
(c) Public announcements
(d) Media broadcasts
(e) Internet
(f) Any other means including inspection of officer of any public authority.
Under section 4(1) (b) every public authority is mandated to publish the following categories of information within one hundred and twenty days from the enactment of the Act.
1. Particulars of the Public Authority
2. Powers & duties of officers & employees
3. Procedure followed in decision making
4. Norms for discharge of functions
5. Rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records under its control/used by employees while discharging functions
6. Categories of documents held by the Authority or which are under its control
7. Arrangement for consultation with or representation by the members of the public in relation to the formulation of policy or implementation thereof.
8. Boards, councils, committees and other bodies constituted as part of the public
9. Directory of officers and employees
10.Monthly Remuneration received by officers & employees including system of compensation
11. Budget allocated to each agency including all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made etc.
12.Manner of execution of subsidy programmes
13. Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorization granted by the public Authority
14. Information available in electronic form
15. Particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information
16. Names, designations and other particulars of public information officers
17. Any other useful information.