Govt asks all departments to upload report cards on websites every month

This small step could go a long way to raise the transparency bar.

The Modi government has told all central departments to go public with a report card of its activities and achievements on a monthly basis.

This report is expected to be similar to the one prepared by departments and ministries for the Cabinet Secretariat every month except that it would only contain unclassified information.

An order by the Cabinet Secretariat last week said this would ensure greater transparency and availability of information in public domain about the activities of respective ministries.

“...it has been decided that henceforth, all ministries/departments may upload, on a monthly basis, the major achievements, significant developments and important events for the month... on their official websites,” the order said.

The circular comes a month after the transparency watchdog, Central Information Commission told the government to consider RTI activist Venkatesh Nayak’s suggestion to upload the “unclassified” portion of the monthly report. Chief Information Commissioner Radha Krishna Mathur too had put his weight behind the suggestion, arguing it would “promote public interest”.

“It will help people know what each department is doing on a real-time basis and would be in compliance with RTI Act which says, that the government shall give accurate information about its performance from time to time,” Nayak said, welcoming the decision.