RTI

RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT 2005

1. Right to Information Act

The Government of India has enacted "Right to Information Act 2005” to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of Public Authorities in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of any public authority.

2. Right to Information

The right to information includes an access to the information which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to inspect the work, document, records, taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents / records and certified samples of the materials and obtaining information which is also stored in electronic form.

3. The Information which is Exempt from Disclosure

The Right to Information Act, 2005 under Sections 8 and 9 exempts certain categories of information from disclosures. These include:

• Information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence;
• Information which has been expressly forbidden to be published by any court of law or tribunal or the disclosure of which may constitute contempt of court;
• Information, the disclosure of which would cause a breach of privilege of Parliament or the State Legislature;
• Information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information;
• Information available to a person in his fiduciary relationship, unless the competent authority is satisfied that the larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information;
•  Information received in confidence from foreign Government; information, the disclosure of which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes;
• Information which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders;
•  Information which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders;
• Information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual.

4. Fee / Cost to get the Information

A request for obtaining information under Section 6(1) of the Act needs to be accompanied by an application fee of Rs.10 by way of cash against proper receipt or by DD or bankers' cheque or Indian Postal Order.

As per the Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005, the public authority shall charge:

a) Rs.2/- for each page (in A-4 or A-3 size paper) created or copied;
b) Actual charge or cost price of a copy in larger size paper;
c) Actual cost or price for samples or models; and
d) For inspection of records, no fee for the first hour; and a fee of rupees five for each subsequent hour (or fraction thereof).

Further, to provide information under Section 7(5) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the public authority shall charge:
e) Rs. 50/- per diskette or floppy; and
f) for information provided in printed form at the price fixed for such publication or Rs. 2/- per page of photocopy for extracts from the publication.

5. Who can ask for information?

Any citizen can request for information by making an application in writing or through electronic means in English / Hindi / official language of the areas, in which the application is being made together with the prescribed fees.

6. Who will give Information?

Information is furnished by the Central Public Information Officer in NPS Trust. You may also deposit the application with any Central Assistant Public Information Officers (CAPIOs) designated for the purpose at various levels, who will receive the requests for information from the public and forward it to the Central Public Information Officers (CPIO). The CPIO will arrange for providing necessary information to the public as permitted under the law. The public authorities are also required to designate authority (ies) senior in rank to CPIO, as Appellate Authorities, who will entertain and dispose off appeals against the decision of the CPIO as required under the Act. Any person who does not receive the decision from CPIO wither by way of information or rejection within the time frame, may within 30 days from the expiry of period prescribed for furnishing the information or 30 days from the date of receipt of the decisions, prefer an appeal to the Appellate Authority.

7. The Role of Central Public Information Officers (CPIO)

The CPIO will receive the application / request for information under the Act and process the request for providing the information and dispose of the same; either by providing the information or rejecting the request, within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of request.

8. Making an Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005

Citizens of India will have to make the request for information in writing, clearly specifying the information sought under the Right to Information Act, 2005. The application for request should give the contact details (postal address, telephone number, fax number, email address) so that the applicants can be contacted for clarifications, if any.

9. How Do I send my Application?

As per the Right to Information (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005 prescribed by the Government of India: a request for obtaining information under Section 6(1) of RTI Act needs to be accompanied by an application fee of Rs.10 by way of cash against proper receipt or by DD or bankers' cheque or Indian Postal Order payable to the Accounts Officer of the public authority. You could send your request by post accompanied by the application fee of Rs.10/- payable by demand draft or bankers cheque or Indian Postal Order favouring 'National Pension System Trust'. The fee can also be paid in cash along with the application. National Pension System Trust will take up the application for consideration, as required under the Act, only after the application fee has been received.

10. Where Do I send my Request?

You can send your request to any of the following addresses of CPIO / CAPIOs:

11. How Long will NPS Trust take to Provide Information?

NPS Trust will, within 30 days of receipt of the application for information along with the fee of Rs.10/-, communicate to the requestor whether it can or cannot provide the information.

12. At what stage will I have to pay the cost?

If NPS Trust has the information and can provide it to you it will, within 30 days of its receiving the application along with the fee of Rs.10/-, communicate to you the cost of providing the information as prescribed under Section 7(1) of Right to Information Act.

13. Appointment Of Appellate Authority

Public authorities are also required to designate authority (ies) senior in rank to CPIO, as Appellate Authorities, who will entertain and dispose off appeals against the decision of the CPIO as required under the Act. Any person who does not receive the decision from CPIO either by way of information or rejection within the time frame may, within 30 days from the expiry of period prescribed for furnishing the information or 30 days from the date of receipt of the decision, prefer an appeal to the Appellate Authority.

14. Do i have a right to appeal?

Under the Right to Information Act, 2005 you have the right to appeal if you are not satisfied with the information provided by the Public Information Officer or his decision not to provide the information requested

15. Who should i address my appeal to?

You can address the appeal to the First Appellate Authority designated by NPS Trust under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

FIRST APPELLATE AUTHORITY DESIGNATED BY NPS TRUST UNDER THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005:

Sh. Praveen Singh, General Manager

National Pension System Trust

14th Floor, IFCI Tower, 61, Nehru Place, New Delhi - 110019

16. What if i am not satisfied even with the decision of the First Appellate Authority?

Under the Act, if you are not satisfied with the decision of the First Appellate Authority within NPS Trust, you can appeal to the Central Information Commissioner appointed in terms of Chapter 3 of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

17. NPS Trust’s obligation under the Act (As per its section 4(i)(b))