Awareness about RTI in rural areas increasing: Commissioner

Vijayawada, Oct 20 (UNI) Chief Commissioner of RTI C D Arha today said awareness about Right to Information (RTI) act in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh has increased.

Addressing a press conference here he said in 2006, 89 per cent of applications were received from urban areas and 11 per cent from rural areas. But in 2007 number of applications from rural areas increased to 32 per cent. It shows awareness about the act in rural areas.

In 2006, over 8,000 applications were received, out of which 7,500 were disposed with 209 pending and some rejected, he said.

In 2007, 13,964 applications were received, out of which about 4,200 were pending and the rest disposed.

This year till September 19,131 applications had been received, out of which 16,405 were disposed and 2,646 pending, he said.

Reffering to the rejected applications he said it was because either the stipulated fees was not deposited with the applications or what the applicants wanted to know was not clear.

Mr Arha said the applicants would get information within 90 days or in some cases after 90 days.

Stating that most of the applications were related to Revenue, Panchayatraj, Education and Municipal administration, he said maximum number of applications were from coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and the Royalseema regions.

Earlier, he reviewed a meeting with East and West Godavari district, Krishna and Guntur district collectors and officials on implementation of the act.

UNI XR AKM 2018