Public authorities are reminded of their obligation to proactively disclose details of official tours undertaken by ministers and senior officials. This includes information on the nature of the tour, destinations, duration, delegation size, and total travel costs. This disclosure, mandated under the RTI Act, aims to reduce the need for individuals to file Right to Information requests. Public authorities are advised to comply strictly with previous advisories and update this information quarterly. However, security and intelligence organizations are exempt from this requirement.
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F. No. 1/8/2012-IR
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
North Block, New Delhi
Dated 3rd April, 2013
Office Memorandum
Sub: Suo motu disclosure on official tours of Ministers and other officials.
Attention is invited to this Department’s OM of even number dated 11.9.2012 (copy enclosed) advising the Public Authorities to proactively disclose the details of all foreign and domestic official tours of 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, and to update the disclosure once every quarter starting from 1st July 2012.
- It has come to the notice of this Department that some of the public authorities are not disclosing such information or are providing only partial information and are also not updating it regularly.
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It is again advised that all public authorities may strictly comply with the advisory contained in the Department’s Office Memorandum of even number dated 11.09.2012.
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Contents of this OM may be brought to the notice of all concerned.
Sandeep Jain
Deputy Secretary
Tele: 23092755
- All the Ministries / Departments of the Government of India
- Union Public Service Commission/Lok Sabha Sectt./Rajya Sabha Secretariat/ Cabinet Secretariat/ Central Vigilance Commission/ President’s Secretariat/ Vice-President’s Secretariat/ Prime Minister’s Office/ Planning Commission/Election Commission.
- Central Information Commission.
- Staff Selection Commission, CGO Complex, New Delhi.
- Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General of India, 10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi.
- All officers/Desks/Sections, of DOP&T, Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
Copy to: Chief Secretaries of all the States / UTs.# Office Memorandum
Sub: 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.
- 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.
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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.
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Contents of this OM may be brought to the notice of all concerned.
(Sandep Jain)
Deputy Secretary
Tele: 23092755
- All the Ministries / Departments of the Government of India
- Union Public Service Commission/Lok Sabha Sectt./Rajya Sabha Secretariat/ Cabinet Secretariat/ Central Vigilance Commission/ President’s Secretariat/ Vice-President’s Secretariat/ Prime Minister’s Office/ Planning Commission/Election Commission.
- Central Information Commission.
- Staff Selection Commission, CGO Complex, New Delhi
- Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General of India, 10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi.
- All officers/Desks/Sections, of DOP&T, Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
Copy to: Chief Secretaries of all the States/UTs.