Delhi residents can get RTI information through voice mail

New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) People living in the capital can now obtain information sought under the the Right to Information (RTI) Act also through voice mail services, Minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan said Wednesday.

The Delhi government is taking a lead in this direction and the central government is planning to expand it later in other States and union territories, Chavan added.

Addressing a conference organised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham), Chavan said the Department of Post and Telegraph (DPST) was drafting a proposal to this effect for approval of the Prime Minister's Office.

'As soon as the PMO receives the proposal, it would be given necessary clearances for empowering Delhi to first begin disseminating information sought under RTI to applicants through electronically,' he added.

Under the proposal, the applicants would be required to file their applications through government-accredited call centres which in turn will email it to the concerned department.

'Thereafter, it would be the responsibility of the inter-governmental agencies to collate the response in a manner which satisfies the applicant and saves his time and paper work,' Chavan added.

'The government would like this model to be first adopted by the Delhi government after necessary approvals are given to this effect by the PMO as it would not require any cabinet approval,' Chavan explained.