The information requested henceforth in this application is in view of the directive passed by Supreme Court while disposing Writ Petition (Civil) No 1040 of 2019. The copy of this order can be found on the internet and a relevant portion is as follows,
"In view of the orders which have been passed in Writ Petition (Civil) No 1325 of 2020, there shall be a direction to all the State governments/Union Territories to set up and operationalize online web portals so that information sought under the Right to Information Act 2005 is made available in respect of all public authorities falling within their jurisdiction. This exercise shall be completed within a period of three months from the date of this order."
1. Provide the current progress of development of West Bengal's online RTI Portal.
2. Provide the detailed, expected timeline for the release of the portal to citizens. The timeline should include details on the start of the project, any delays faced during the project, proposed completion dates, and any other relevant information related to the projects progress.
3. Provide the budget allocated for development of said application, and the expenditure incurred till date.
4. Provide the details of companies contracted and give brief description of their role in development of said application.
5. Furnish relevant copies of orders passed by the state government approving this project.
It is to further notify that the information requested here is in major public interest, as the development of RTI Online Portal facilitates filing of RTIs and brings forth transparency as enshrined in the RTI Act, 2005. Hence, if the PIO deems the response to Q4 to be third-party information, he/she shall apply his/her mind in appropriately judging this request to be in public interest.
I request the response to be provided in English, duly signed/stamped by the PIO and(or) any officer u/s 5(4) of the RTI Act, 2005, and the request to be disposed off expeditiously within the stipulated time limit of 30d from the receipt of this request.