The Honorable Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the Jammu & Kashmir Right to Information (RTI) Online Portal at the Civil Secretariat on January 10, 2025 at Jammu, marking a significant advancement in promoting transparency and accountability within the regions governance.
The launch event was attended by Honorable Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Cabinet Ministers Sakeena Itoo, Javed Ahmad Rana, and Javed Ahmad Dar, along with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, administrative secretaries, and senior officials.
In his address, Honorable Chief Minister lauded the efforts of the NIC Jammu and Kashmir in developing the portal, emphasizing its potential to streamline the RTI application process for citizens. He stated, "This initiative will provide easy access to government information under the RTI Act, empowering citizens with a faster, more transparent, and cost-efficient mechanism."
The Chief Minister also called for widespread publicity of the portal to ensure that citizens across Jammu & Kashmir are aware of its benefits.
Developed by NIC Jammu and Kashmir, the portal transitions the RTI application process from manual to online, enabling citizens to submit requests, track their status, and receive responses electronically, thereby eliminating the need for physical visits to government offices.
A notable feature of the portal is the issuance of a registration number to applicants via SMS and email for future reference, facilitating easy tracking of RTI applications.
The portal integrates 61 government departments, 272 nodal officers/public authorities, 720 First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and 3,419 Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) and Public Information Officers (PIOs), ensuring comprehensive coverage and keeping citizens informed about government activities.
This initiative represents a significant step towards enhancing transparency and accountability in governance, aligning with the administration's commitment to empowering citizens through accessible information.
