1. Title: These rules may be called as ‘ARIAS Society’s Right to Information Rules, 2005’

2. Definitions - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires 2.1. “ RTI Act” means The Right To Information Act, 2005 2.2. "Agriculture Production Commissioner & Chairman, ARIAS Society/ Chief Appellate Authority" (herein after ‘APC & CAA’) means the immediate superior officer above the incharge of office, who supervises and controls the work of incharge of office, from time to time, for the purposes of this Act. 2.3. "State Project Director, PCU, ARIAS Society or 1st Appellate Authority” (herein after SPD) means the officer of a Department of the State Government, who is in actual control of the PCU, ARIAS Society, and as may from time to time be specified by the State Government. 2.4. "Public Information Officer" (herein after POI) means the officer designated by the ARIAS Society/State Government for the purposes of the RTI Act (For this purpose the Social Development Specialist of PCU shall be the PIO; presently post held by Shri Panchali Kakati,ACS.) 2.5. "Information" means any material or information relating to any of the affairs/ activities of the ARIAS Society. 2.6. "Right to information" means the right of access to information relating to the affairs of the PCU, ARIAS Society, by means of - (a) obtaining certified copies of documents or records, or (b) inspection of accessible records and taking notes and extracts, or (c) inspection of public works, or (d) taking of samples of material from public works; and

3. Right to Information - Subject to the provisions of the RTI Act, every citizen shall have right to obtain information from the PIO, PCU and the PIO shall be liable to provide information under and in accordance with the provisions of the RTI Act.

4. Procedure for Supply of Information - 4.1. Any person seeking information shall make an application to the PIO giving particulars of the matter relating to which information is sought as per the format furnished below along with the requisite fees prescribed                To                        The Public Information Officer,                        Project Coordination Unit,                        ARIAS Society, Agriculture Campus,                        Khanapara, Guwahati-781022                        (Attention Shri ……………………, PIO)                (1) Full name of the applicant :                (2) Complete Postal Address :                (3) Particulars of information required:                        i)   Nature of information required:                        ii)  Name of the Office or Department to which the information relates:                        iii)  Subject matter of information:                        iv) The year and place or area to which the information relates:                        v)  Time by when the information is required:          Place:          Date:                                                                                                    Signature of the Applicant 4.2. Fees for obtaining Information: the following fee shall be applicable in terms of provision of the Section 7(1) of the RTI Act.(as fixed by the Govt. of Assam from time to time): 4.2.1. The request for seeking information under the RTI Act shall be accompanied by a proof of payment of a fee as prescribed below for furnishing of information. 4.2.2. If requisite fee as prescribed below is not paid for the required information, the information as sought may not be made available. 4.2.3. The appeal shall be accompanied with such fee, and be deposited and tendered in the manner prescribed below – 4.2.3.1. A non-refundable fee of Rs. …. for each application (as fixed by Govt. of Assam), by any applicant, to the PIO against a receipt. 4.2.3.2. In addition, for photocopying a non-refundable fee of Rs. …./ per page (as fixed by Govt. of Assam) shall have to be deposited to recover the cost of photocopying expenses. The applicant shall indicate how many pages of a document is required and deposit the requisite fees to the PIO against a receipt. 4.2.3.3. If the number of pages can not be anticipated by the applicant, a lump-sum amount indicating the number of pages required as assessed by the PIO may be deposited, and excess amount deposited, if any, shall be refunded to the applicant by the PIO at the time handing over of the information. 4.2.4. Accounts Officer (Reimbursement), PCU shall assist the PIO and keep records of fees received and refunded. 4.3. Upon receipt of an application, the PIO shall consider it and place before the State Project Director, PCU, ARIAS Society, and if the information is such which can be provided and do not fall within the categories specified under section 8 of the RTI Act, the PIO shall provide the information with approval of the State Project Director, PCU, ARIAS Society, within thirty (30) days of the receipt of application under sub-section 7(1) of the RTI Act. 4.4. The PIO upon receipt of a application shall forward the same in files of the PCU (maintained for the purpose by subject/ by coordinator etc) with approval of the SPD, requesting the information/ documents, within maximum 4 days of receipt of the application. 4.5. The concerned Coordinator of the PCU/ CFC to whom an application has been marked in file by the PIO, with approval of the SPD, shall within maximum 7 days furnish the documents to the PIO for further necessary action. 4.6. In case information and documents are not available with the concerned coordinator/ CFC, the concerned coordinator/ CFC shall with 3 days of receipt of an application in file from the PIO, with approval of the SPD, request for information/ documents from the concerned officer of the line department, who is directly responsible for maintaining the document/ information, with intimation to the Head of the concerned line Department of the State Government. 4.7. Where the information sought by the applicant falls under the restricted categories specified under section 8, the Incharge of the office shall refuse to provide information and shall communicate his decision to the applicant within thirty days from the date of receipt of application under sub-section (1). 4.8. The PIO/ All Coordinators of PCU/ CFC shall make themselves familiar with the RTI Act.

5. The information sought may be made available in the form it is available by copying or photocopying the same.

6. The information may be sought from and may be furnished by the PIO, after obtaing the same from the concerned coordinators in the PCU or from the concerned line departments (in case the information/ documents is not available in the PCU), where from the information has originated or where any record is normally maintained or deposited.

7. Restrictions on Right to information - The SPD may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, withhold information, the disclosure or contents only as per provision of Section 8 & 9 of the RTI act;

8. First appeal - 8.1. Any person aggrieved by the information/ document furnished by PIO or any person who has not received required information from the PIO within the time (30 days) stipulated under section 7 (1) of the RTI Act, may appeal to the 1st Appellate Authority for necessary action; Provided that no order adversely affecting the person making appeal shall be passed unless an opportunity of being heard is afforded to him and also to the PIO. 8.2. Every appeal shall be heard and decided expeditiously and by all means be disposed of within thirty days from the date of presentation of appeal. 8.3. The appeal shall be accompanied with the proof of fee deposited or tendered in the manner provided in accordance with the norms cited above. 8.4. Every appeal shall specify.- (a) the name and address of the appellant and the particulars regarding the PIO ; (b) the date of receipt of the reply/ documents from the PIO appealed against; (c) the grounds of appeal; (d) the relief which the applicant claims

9. Second appeal - 9.1. Any person continue to be aggrieved by the information/ document furnished after the 1st appeal by the ‘State Project Director, PCU, ARIAS Society or 1st Appellate Authority’, may appeal to the Agriculture Production Commissioner & Chairman, ARIAS Society/ Chief Appellate Authority" ; Provided that no order adversely affecting the person making the appeal shall be passed unless an opportunity of being heard is afforded to him as well as to the SPD/ 1st 1st Appellate Authority’. 9.2. Every appeal shall be heard and decided expeditiously and by all means disposed of within thirty days from the date of presentation of the appeal. 9.3. The appeal shall be accompanied with the proof of fee deposited or tendered in the manner provided in accordance with the provisions indicated above. 9.4. Every appeal shall specify.- (a) the name and address of the appellant and the particulars regarding the 1st Appellate Authority; (b) the date of receipt of the reply/ documents from the 1st Appellate Authority appealed against ; (c) the grounds of appeal; (d) the relief which the applicant claims.