Suo motu disclosure on official tours of Ministers and other officials

North Block, New Delhi,

dated 11th September, 2012.

Subject: Suo motu disclosure on official tours of Ministers and other officials. 

Sub-Section (2) of Section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005 requires every public authority to take steps in accordance with the requirements of clause (b) of sub-section (1) to provide as much information suo motu to the public at regular intervals through various means of communications, including internet, so that the public have minimum resort to use the Act to obtain information.

2.It has been brought to the notice of this Department that public authorities are receiving RTI applications frequently asking for details of the official tours undertaken by Ministers and other officials of the Ministries/Departments concerned. In compliance with the provisions of Section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005, it is advised that Public Authorities may proactively disclose the details of foreign and domestic official tours undertaken by Minister(s) and officials of the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India and above and Heads of Departments, since 1st January, 2012. The disclosures may be updated once every quarter starting from 1st July, 2012.

3.Information to be disclosed proactively may contain nature of the official tour, places visited, the period, number of people included in the official delegation and total cost of such travel undertaken. Exemptions under Section 8 of the RTI Act, 2005 may be taken in view while disclosing the information. These advisory would not apply to security and intelligence organisations under the second schedule of the RTI Act, 2005 and CVOs of public authorities.

4. Contents of this OM may be brought to the notice of all concerned.

sd/-

(Sandeep Jain)

Deputy Secretary

Source: www.persmin.nic.in

[http://circulars.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02rti/1_8_2012-IR-11092012.pdf]