RTI will be made more accessible: Chavan

30 May 2009, 0116 hrs IST, TNN

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-4594992,prtpage-1.cms

NEW DELHI: The government will study practices in other countries before establishing a separate directorate for prosecution, minister of state for personnel, public grievances and pensions Prithviraj Chavan said. Chavan, who took over formal charge on Friday, said that various systems will be taken in to consideration and the proposition of setting up a directorate of prosecution will be put up before Cabinet soon. 

"We are studying the practices in other countries and will bring the proposal to Cabinet soon,'' Chavan said. Prosecution is currently under the CBI that is overburdened with more than 8,000 cases under investigation. 

The minister added that efforts would be made to make Right to Information Act more accessible. Replies to RTI queries on the Internet and filing of RTI on phone were facilities that were being looked at. "We have already kickstarted work on setting up a call centre so that people can ask for information on the phone. The system is already operational in Bihar and we will introduce some refinements before introducing it in some states. The facility is likely to start in Delhi soon,'' he said. Chavan however refused to specify any deadline on these plans. 

Denying that CBI was under any political interference, Chavan admitted that there was a public perception that the agency worked on the direction of its political masters. "This perception exists and we must change it. The government will work towards making CBI a more effective and efficient agency,'' Chavan said.