Nandyal : District Revenue Officer (DRO) Ramu Naik has instructed officials to expedite the resolution of pending penalty cases related to Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. On Thursday, he conducted an awareness session for district officials of various departments at PGRS Hall in the Collectorate.

The session focused on the effective implementation of RTI Act. Among those present were Collectorate AO Ravi Kumar, C-Section Superintendent Subhakar, and others.

Speaking on the occasion, DRO Ramu Naik explained the need to resolve pending penalty cases under the RTI Act at the earliest. He directed the officials to ensure proper maintenance of 4(1)(b) Register along with Register 1 & 2 in all offices. He reiterated that applications received under the RTI Act must be addressed within 30 days. Additionally, if the requested information is provided within the stipulated period, a fee of Rs 2 per page should be charged. However, if the deadline is exceeded, the information must be provided free of cost.

Ramu Naik further instructed officials that if an RTI request does not pertain to their department, it should be forwarded to the concerned department within five days as per Section 6(3) of the Act. He also clarified that under Section 2(c), certain applications related to public interest may not be required to be disclosed. The DRO provided further insights on various sections of the Act to enhance the officials’ understanding.

Additionally, he stressed the mandatory installation of RTI information boards in all offices. These boards should prominently display the names and contact details of the Public Information Officer (PIO) and the Appellate Authority to ensure transparency. Following the session, Collectorate staff provided additional clarity on what type of information can and cannot be disclosed under the RTI Act, 2005.