CIC Bimal Jalan calls on Dr. Jitendra Singh

Newly appointed Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Bimal Julka called on Minister for Personnel Dr Jitendra Singh in New Delhi. Department of Personnel and Training is the nodal Ministry for Information Commission.

Mr Julka, a 1979 batch IAS officer, who retired as Secretary,  Information and Broadcasting in 2015, was appointed as Information Commissioner earlier. He was later on appointed as Chief Information Commissioner, following the superannuation of Sudhir Bhargava.  

During his meeting with the Minister yesterday, Chief Information Commissioner briefed Dr Jitendra Singh about the steps taken to include the newly created Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh under the purview of Chief Information Commissioner.

Dr Jitendra Singh referred to a number of path breaking initiatives taken by the Modi government to improve upon the functioning of the Information



Commission and at the same time prompt disposal of RTI appeals. It was during this government, he said, the 24 hours Portal Service was introduced for e-filing of RTI during any part  of the day and night and from any part of the country or abroad.

As for the new Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the significant change now is that the non-domiciles and non-State subjects of Jammu & Kashmir will also now be entitled to file RTI related to Union Territory issues or agencies. Dr Jitendra Singh also lauded the shifting of the office of the Chief Information Commissioner to its own exclusive office complex, while it had been operating from a rented accommodation till about two years back. He said, Narendra Modi government is committed to ensure absolute transparency with maximum citizen - participation in the functioning of the government.