NEW DELHI, November 9 : Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh today said, transparency and Citizen-centricity are the hallmark of the Modi governance model.
Addressing the 15th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission titled, “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Citizen – centric Governance through RTI” at Vigyan Bhawan, Dr Jitendra Singh said, ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over in 2014, transparency, accountability and citizen-centricity became the hallmark of the Governance Model. He said that in the last over eight years, every conscious decision was taken to strengthen the independence and resources of the Information Commission.
The Minister noted that empowered citizens are an important pillar of democracy and the Central Information Commission will continue to work for empowering the people through information.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, RTI Act is not a standalone law, but it is part of the larger narrative of strengthening Indian democracy, ensuring transparency in governance and building capacities of the common citizen to enable him to take informed decisions and choices. Above all, it is about nurturing the trust between citizen and the state – where both must have faith in each other, the Minister added.
Dr Jitendra Singh noted that it was during the Modi government that a 24 hour portal service was introduced for e-filing of the RTI applications during any part of the day or night and from any part of the country or abroad. He added that technology has been harnessed for developing mobile based applications, e-filing, e-hearing, e-notification etc., facilitating the task of information seekers in availing remedies under the law. The mobile app developed by CIC enabled citizens to file appeals with ease, besides using technology for audio video hearing of cases. The Minister said, as a result, the Central Information Commission has succeeded in reducing the pendency from 38116 cases in the year 2020-21 to 23405 cases in the year 2021-22.
Referring to indiscriminate filing of RTI applications in an era of Information Explosion, Dr Jitendra Singh humbly appealed to check before filing the application, whether the desired information is already existing in the public domain or not. He elaborated that today all major decisions and information are in the public domain and we have achieved transparency with credibility.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, despite the challenges posed by the unprecedented pandemic, earnest efforts were made by CIC and SICs to dispose of RTI second appeals and complaints and some Commissions even exceeded pre-Pandemic figures of disposal during certain periods. He also mentioned that June 2020 saw higher disposal of cases in CIC in comparison to pre-pandemic year of 2019. The Minister said, this became possible due to the innovative approach of shifting into virtual mode (audio-video) for hearing and disposal of cases.
Dr Jitendra Singh also pointed out that it was during the challenging times of pandemic in May, 2020, the Central Information Commission started entertaining, hearing and disposing of RTIs from the newly created Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, through virtual means, after the passing of J&K Reorganisation Act 2019. He said, applicants from J&K and Ladakh were allowed to file RTI applications from home and even for appeals to the CIC. He added that 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 lauded Central Information Commission for achieving consistent decline in pendency with corresponding rise in disposal of the Right to Information (RTI) appeals.

Pune, Nov 9: There are 2.49 lakh voters aged above 100 in India, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Wednesday.
Besides, 1.80 crore voters are over 80 years of age, Kumar said after flagging off a bicycle rally in Maharashtra’s Pune city on Wednesday to create an awareness about voter registration as part of the national level launch of a special summary revision of the voters’ list.
The Election Commission of India’s initiative is aimed at increasing the electoral rolls in urban areas.
Explaining the robustness and beauty of the Indian electoral rolls, Kumar said the country has voters from the highest peaks of Himalayas, from the 6,000-km coastline in south, deserts in the west and regions from the east.
“You will be happy to know we have close to 2.49 lakh voters in our rolls who are (aged) 100 plus and what a relief and ecstasy it gives when you interact with them and find that they have been voting all through their lives,” he said.
Besides, there are 1.80 crore voters who are above 80 years of age, he told reporters after the rally.
The CEC said India’s first voter Shyam Saran Negi, who recently died, was 106 years old and voted through postal ballot just three days before his death. “That is the spirit,” he added.
Kumar said the summary revision takes place every year, but this year they are doing a very focused activity and starting it all over the country from Pune with a specific purpose to increase the participation of citizens from urban areas.
“What does it mean? Everywhere in the country and the farthest possible states, be it hills, coastal lines, everywhere, inaccessible terrains, deserts, everywhere every single citizen gets enlisted as a voter and strengthens the democracy by not only getting registered but also casting his/her vote,” the CEC said.
Kumar said they want to request all voters in the urban areas, all the youth to come participate, get registered and vote.
“It is only through your voting that the democratic traditions become absolutely robust and strong,” the CEC said.
“Some of the cities, I am not naming them, do not really do that kind of voting and there is a whole lot of ground which we have to cover in urban areas, that is why this rally was organised to create awareness,” he said.
Kumar flagged off the bicycle rally at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune’s Balewadi area.
He later told reporters that there are some advanced, big metro cities where apathy is seen among the urban voters, but it is expected that these cities should also participate in voting whole-heartedly and help strengthen the democracy.
“The same applies to the youth also. If they can put forth their views on WhatsApp, they can very well put forth their opinion on casting votes,” he said.
Kumar said Pune has been chosen for the national launch of the special summary revision of the voters’ list as it is the “city of knowledge” and the message gets spread faster from here.
When pointed out that Pune had recorded a low voting percentage, the CEC said, “Yes, there is little apathy.” Notably, in the 2019 general elections, the overall voting percentage for the Pune Lok Sabha constituency was 49.84 per cent.
Kumar said on the day of voting, a holiday is declared as per the Negotiable Instruments Act and some people think “let’s enjoy the holiday instead of going and casting vote”, but they should go and vote as holidays are always there.
Kumar said the importance of special summary revision is that if anyone is left and not included as a voter, he or she will be included through this initiative.
“Also, young voters who are turning 18 on qualifying dates have a chance to get enrolled,” he added. (Agencies)

New Delhi, Nov 9: The district magistrates of 31 districts and the home secretaries of nine states have been given powers to grant Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming to the country from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
According to the annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for 2021-22, from April 1 to December 31, 2021, a total of 1,414 foreigners belonging to these minority communities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were given Indian citizenship by registration or naturalisation under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
The move to grant Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming to the country from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and not under the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) bears significance.
The CAA also provides for granting Indian citizenship to these non-Muslims coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
However, the rules under the CAA have not been framed by the government yet and hence, no one so far has been granted Indian citizenship under it.
The annual report of the MHA said the Centre delegated its powers to grant Indian citizenship by registration or naturalisation in respect of foreigners belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian or Parsi communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to the collectors of 13 more districts and the home secretaries of two more states in 2021-22.
“With this, collectors of 29 districts and home secretaries of nine states have been authorised to grant citizenship in respect of the aforesaid category of migrants,” the report said.
The district magistrates of Gujarat’s Anand and Mehsana were also given similar powers last month.
The nine states where Indian citizenship by registration or naturalisation is given under the Citizenship Act, 1955 to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra.
Interestingly, the authorities of none of the districts of Assam and West Bengal, where the issue is politically sensitive, has been given the powers so far.
The delegation of powers, the report said, will speed up the process of granting Indian citizenship to the aforesaid category of migrants as the decision would be taken at the local level.
“From April 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, a total of 1,414 citizenship certificates have been granted by all authorities including this ministry. Out of this, 1,120 were granted by registration under section 5 and 294 were granted by naturalisation under section 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955,” the report said.
Under the CAA, the Narendra Modi government wants to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan — Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians — who came to India till December 31, 2014.
There were massive protests in some parts of the country after the CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and the subsequent presidential nod.
More than a hundred people lost their lives during the protests or in police action.
However, the law is yet to be implemented as rules under the CAA are yet to be framed. Rules under a law have to be framed for its implementation.
According to the Manual on Parliamentary Work, the rules for any legislation should be framed within six months of the presidential assent or an extension has to be sought from the committees on subordinate legislation in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
In January 2020, the home ministry notified that the Act would come into force from January 10, 2020, but it later requested the parliamentary committees in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha to give it some more time to frame the rules as the country was going through its worst ever health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The MHA was granted yet another extension last month by the parliamentary committees on subordinate legislation in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha to frame the rules under the CAA.
While the permission was granted by the Rajya Sabha till December 31, 2022, the Lok Sabha granted time till January 9, 2023.
This was the seventh extension given to the MHA to frame the rules under the CAA. (Agencies)

Sahil sharma , an ultra runner from Jammu finished the Pune ultra marathon with a distance of 100 kms. With this feat he has now joined the class of elite runners in the country.

Pune ultra marathon is a one of a kind event with an amalgamated route of Trail, Gradients, Roads and Hill slopes to provide an ultimate endurance test. The route boasts of hills, running alongside a canal on a mud path, a village trail across fields, an ancient temple with a beautiful water body,  custard apple orchards, and some villages, all in all with the Western Ghats looming ahead.
The world of ultra running takes runners to some of the most idyllic locations, where the distance and environment present the perfect test for one’s endurance. At present there are very few 100 k runs organised in India and completing an ultra run of 100 k takes a lot of grit and determination. It is an ultimate test of a runners resilience.

New Delhi, Nov 9: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will soon chair a day-long high-level meeting of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officers across the country here in the national capital later in the day to assess the internal security situation in the country, threats of terrorism and the need for coordination among central and state agencies.
The meeting is scheduled to be held between 11 am to 5 pm at a secret and highly secured location in the city.
A senior official in the Ministry of Home Affairs, requesting anonymity, said, “The Home Minister will take stock of the overall internal security scenario, intelligence gathering network and other aspects needed to be addressed so that robust internal security is ensured in the country.”
Issues like continued threats of terrorism and global terror groups, terror financing, narco-terrorism, organised crime-terror nexus, illicit use of cyberspace and movement of foreign terrorist fighters are expected to be discussed in the meeting.
Focus on better coordination and synergy among the central and state security agencies in countering the ever-changing security challenges, would be among the major issues that will be discussed, said the source.
The meeting is expected to be attended by other senior officers across the country concerned with intelligence-related issues. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and IB chief Tapan Deka will be among the topmost officers who will attend the meeting. (AGENCIES)

Unveiling the logo, theme, and website of India’s G-20 Presidency via video conferencing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Tuesday that it was India’s endeavour to see that there was no first world or third world in the world, but only one world.

India’s vision was to bring the whole world together for a better future, he said while addressing a gathering on the occasion and gave the example of ”One Sun, One World, One Grid” which has been New Delhi’s clarion call for a revolution in the world of renewable energy, and the global health campaign of ”One Earth, One Health”.

Speaking about the G-20 ‘mantra’ of ”One Earth, One Family, One Future”, the PM said: “It is these thoughts and values of India that pave the way for the welfare of the world.”

Noting that from 1 December, India would preside over the G-20, he said the grouping’s Presidency was a historic opportunity for the country. G-20, he noted, was the premier forum for international economic cooperation representing around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the worldwide trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

Modi, however, noted that India’s G-20 Presidency of the grouping was coming at a time of crisis and chaos. The world was dealing with the aftereffects of a disruptive once-in-a-century global pandemic, conflicts, and economic uncertainty. “The lotus in the logo of G-20 is a symbol of hope in such tough times,” he said.

The PM remarked that even if the world was in a deep crisis, It could still be made a better place. The lotus in the logo of G-20 was a symbol of hope in such tough times,” he said, adding that the grouping aimed to bring the world together in harmony while respecting diversity.

Remarking that the G-20 logo was not just any logo, the PM said it was a message, a feeling that ran in India’s veins.“It is a resolve that has been omnipresent in our thoughts through ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’,” he added.

Modi observed that there was an unprecedented curiosity in the world today to know and understand India. ”Today India is being studied in a new light. Our current successes are being assessed and unprecedented hopes are being expressed about our future”, he added.

In such an atmosphere, it was the responsibility of the citizens to go beyond these expectations and acquaint the world with India’s capabilities, philosophy, and social and intellectual strength, he said. “We have to unite everyone and energise them for their responsibility towards the world,” he added.

Noting that it has taken India thousands of years to reach where it was, Modi said; ”We have seen highs of prosperity and also the darkest phase in global history. India has reached here along with the history of many invaders and their tyranny. Those experiences are the biggest strength in India’s development journey today.”

The PM said that after independence, India started a big journey starting from zero, aiming for the top. This included the efforts of all the governments in the last 75 years. All the governments and citizens together in their own way tried to take India forward. ”We have to move forward with this spirit today with a new energy taking the whole world along,” he said.

The PM underlined a key lesson of India’s culture. “When we strive for our progress, we also envision global progress,” he said. He also dwelled on the democratic heritage of Indian civilisation. He pointed out “India is such a rich and living democracy of the world. We have the values and a proud tradition in the form of the mother of democracy. India has as much uniqueness as it has diversity.  “Democracy, diversity, indigenous approach, inclusive thinking, local lifestyle and global thoughts, today the world is seeing solutions to all its challenges in these ideas”, he said. The PM said that many of India’s achievements could be used by other countries of the world.