Information panel raises red flag over RTI data

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC), in its report presented during the recent Gujarat assembly session, has raised concerns about the data provided by six departments regarding the Right to Information (RTI) applications.
The GIC observed that the reported number of Right to Information applications appears suspicious and requires scrutiny.
According to the GIC’s report for the year 2022-23, six departments – agriculture, farmers welfare and cooperation, food civil supplies and consumer affairs, panchayats, rural housing and rural development, health and family welfare, tribal development and social justice and empowerment – recorded a notably low number of RTI applications.
This is despite these departments having extensive reach up to the village level and interactions with many citizens.
In total, all state govt departments and associated public authorities received 1,21,490 applications from the public during the year. However, the six departments under scrutiny received less than 100 complaints each, with the social justice department reporting only 216 applications.
The report stated, “It appears that the number of applications shown to be received by some departments and public authorities is less.
These departments have substantial public dealings and therefore, the public comes into direct contact with department officers as per their expectations and requirements. So, it is natural that when people do not get any information, they will use the Right to Information Act,” the report said.
It added that the data provided by the food, civil supplies, and consumer affairs department and the panchayat, rural housing, and rural development departments “appears suspicious and requires scrutiny.” These departments reported 771 and 680 applications, respectively.
The report noted that data on the number of applications provided by the health and family welfare is “eligible for scrutiny”.
“It is expected to receive a considerable number of Right to Information applications for problems related to this department (health). However, the number given was 639, which makes it eligible for scrutiny on whether it depicts the real picture,” the report said.