RIGHT TO INFORMATION
The Right to Information under the provisions of the RTI Act is available to the citizens of India only. RTI Act is an important legislation designed to promote transparency and accountability in the functioning of public authorities.
The full text of the RTI Act is available on the website:
(pdf file)
The RTI Act also provides for appeals by aggrieved persons to the Central Information Commission of the Government of India.
Indian citizens resident in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virgin Islands may seek information in writing on payment of requisite fee during office hours on working days as per procedure laid down in the RTI Act, 2005.
Contact details of officers for addressing applications under Right to Information Act, 2005:
Public Information Officer
Mr. Himanshu Alwaria
Vice Consul(OCI)
Email : cons[dot]atlanta[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in
Appellate Authority
Ms Nishi Arora
Consul (Head of Chancery)
Email: hoc[dot]atlanta[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in
Applications seeking information under the Act may be sent along with the prescribed fee in Dollars, equivalent to INR 10/- (Indian Rupee ten only) in cheque or demand draft favoring Consulate General of India, Atlanta as per the prevailing official rupee dollar conversion rate.
It may be noted that information provided under the Act is available to citizens of India only. Applications should be submitted along with documentary proof of Indian Citizenship (like copy of personal particulars pages of passport). More information is available at http://rti.gov.in. The mailing address is Mr. Himanshu Alwaria, Chief Public Information Officer & Nodal Officer, Consulate General of India, 5549 Glenridge Drive, Sandy Springs, Atlanta, Georgia 30342.
It may also be pointed out that as per section 6(1) (a) of the RTI Act, 2005, a person who desires to obtain information under the Act is required to submit the application to the Information Officer of the “concerned public authority”. Applicants are, therefore, advised to send their requests under the RTI Act to the Consulate only when the subject matter can reasonably be presumed to pertain to the Consulate. While section 6 (3) provides for the transfer of an application by a receiving PIO to another [concerned] PIO, this is clearly meant to cover situations where the application is addressed to a PIO on the assumption that it has been directed to the concerned PIO. Where the information required obviously does not pertain to the Consulate, the application may be addressed to the concerned PIO directly.
Payment of RTI fee online - Electronic Indian Postal Order (eIPO)
The scheme of Electronic Indian Postal Order (eIPO) has been launched by the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in association with Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). This would enable the Indian citizens abroad to pay the RTI fee online.
An Indian Postal Order can be purchased electronically by paying a fee on-line through e-Post Office Portal or through India Post website. The web-links for payment are:
www.indiapost.gov.in
www.epostoffice.gov.in
The Credit Card or Debit Card of any bank powered by Visa/ Master can be used for this purpose.
Procedure
The RTI applicant is required to register on the website to create his/ her profile. Then he has to select the Ministry/ Department from whom he desires to seek information under the RTI Act. The eIPO is generated which can be used to seek information from that Ministry/ Department only. A printout of the eIPO is required to be attached with the RTI application sent in hard copy. In case RTI application is filed electronically, the eIPO is enclosed as an attachment. The profile is required to be created during the first time only.
The RTI application accompanied by an eIPO is similar in all respects to the RTI application accompanied by fees through any other approved mode. All the provisions regarding eligibility, time limit, exemptions etc; as provided in the RTI Act, 2005 continue to apply.
Currently, this facility is available only for Indian Citizens living anywhere other than in India. By this measure, those living abroad would be facilitated to seek information under the RTI Act, 2005. It is hoped that in future, this facility would be extended to all citizens within the country too. Any public authority which accepts a postal order should also accept an eIPO.
Extension of IPO Facility to Indians citizens residing in India
The Department of Posts has extended the “eIPO” (electronic Indian Postal Order) service to Indian citizens residing in India also w.e.f. 13.02.2014, for purchasing Indian Postal Order electronically by paying a fee online through e-Post Office Portal i.e www.epostoffice.gov.in. It can also be accessed through India Post website www.indiapost.gov.in
This facility has been provided for Indian citizens to facilitate them to seek information from the Central Public information Officers (CPIOs) under the RTI Act, 2005. Debit or Credit Cards of any Bank powered by Visa/ Master can be used to purchase e-IPO.
The user needs to get registered at the website. He/she has to select the Ministry/ Department from whom he desires to seek the information under the RTI Act and the eIPO so generated can be used to seek the information from that Ministry/Department only. A printout of the eIPO is required to be attached with the RTI application. If the RTI application is being filed electronically, eIPO is required to be attached as an attachment.
This facility is only for purchasing an Indian Postal Order electronically. All the requirements for filling an RTI application as well as other provisions regarding eligibility, time limit, exemptions etc. will continue to apply.
An eIPO so generated must be used only once with an RTI application.
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Information required under Section 4(1)(b) of the Right to Information Act, 2005
Full text of RTI Act 2005 (pdf file)
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA, ATLANTA
REQUIRED UNDER SECTION 4(1)(B) OF THE RTI ACT, 2005
Contact details of officers for addressing applications under Right to Information Act, 2005:-
Appellate Authority
Mr. M. K. Ghildiyal
Consul(Pol&Com)
Phone: +1 404 769 4081
Email: pol.atlanta@mea.gov.in
Chief Public Information Officer & Nodal Officer
Mr. Himanshu Alwaria
Vice Consul(OCI)
Phone : +1 470 890 9236
Email : cons.atlanta@mea.gov.in
1. Applications seeking information under the Act may be sent along with the prescribed fee in Dollars, equivalent to Indian Rs.10/- in cheque or demand draft favoring Consulate General of India, Atlanta as per the prevailing official rupee dollar conversion rate. The RTI fee can also be paid using e-ipo service of Department of Posts details of which is given in para 2 below.
2. The Government of India (Department of Post) has launched the e-IPO (Electronic Indian Postal Order) service to facilitate purchase of Indian Postal order electronically for paying RTI fee/cost of information on-line through e-Post Office Portal (https:/www.epostoffice.gov.in 
) of the Department of Posts. The detailed instructions for using the e-IPO service for payment of RTI fee on-line are contained in DOP & T™s OM No. 1/44/2009-IR dated March 22, 2013. (Please click here to get the details. The facility of e-ipo has been extended to 176 Indian Missions/Posts abroad also vide Department of Personnel & Training OM NO 1/44/2009-IR dated October 7, 2013 (please click here to see the OM). Department of Posts has extended the eIPO service to Indian citizens residing in India also w.e.f. February 13, 2014 vide OM No. 1/44/2009-IR dated 13th February 2014 (Please click here to see the OM). The RTI applicants may, therefore, pay the RTI fee/cost of information, also on-line using the said e-IPO service, for seeking information from Ministries/Departments in India as well as from Indian Missions abroad.
3. It may be noted that information provided under the Act is available to citizens of India only. OCI/PIO Card holders are foreign nationals, holding foreign passports and are, therefore, not eligible to seek information under the RTI Act 2005.Applications should be submitted along with documentary proof of Indian Citizenship (like copy of personal particulars pages of passport.)More information is available at http://rti.gov.in .The mailing address is Mr. Himanshu Alwaria, Chief Public Information Officer & Nodal Officer, Consulate General of India, 5549 Glenridge Drive, Sandy Springs, Atlanta, Georgia 30342.
4. It may also be pointed out that as per section 6(1) (a) of the RTI Act, 2005, a person who desires to obtain information under the Act is required to submit the application to the Information Officer of the concerned public authority. Applicants are, therefore, advised to send their requests under the RTI Act to the Consulate only when the subject matter can reasonably be presumed to pertain to the Consulate. While section 6(3) provides for the transfer of an application by a receiving PIO to another [concerned] PIO, this is clearly meant to cover situations where the application is addressed to a PIO on the assumption that it has been directed to the concerned PIO. Where the information required obviously does not pertain to the Consulate, the application may be addressed to the concerned PIO directly.
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(i)
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the particulars of its organization, functions and duties;
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Consulate General of India is headed by Consul General and has following 7 Wings: (i) Political Wing (ii) Chancery Wing (iii) Community Affairs Wing (iv) Administration Wing (v) Press, Information, Education & Culture Wing (vi) Commerce Wing (vii) Consular Wing
Each Wing is headed by a Consul rank officer.
The functions of the Consulate inter alia, include political and economic cooperation, trade and investment promotion, cultural interaction, press and media liaison, and scientific cooperation in bilateral and multilateral contexts. Consulate functions within the purview of business allocated to the Embassy of India, Washington under Ministry of External Affairs,Government of India's Allocation of Business Rules and Transaction of Business Rules.
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(ii)
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the powers and duties of its officers and employees;
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General Administrative powers are derived from IFS (PLCA) Rules, as amended from time to time.
Financial powers of the Officers of the Embassy of India have been detailed in the Delegated Financial powers of the Government of India's Representatives Abroad.
Other powers are derived from the Passport Act of India. The Officers of the Embassy function under the guidance and supervision of the Ambassador.
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(iii)
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the procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability;
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Decisions are taken under the instruction and supervision of the Ambassador.
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(iv)
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the norms set by it for the discharge of its functions
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Norms are set under the instruction and supervision of the Ambassador.
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(v)
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the rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions;
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IFS PLCA rules and annexures
Delegated Financial Powers of Government of India's Representatives abroad Rules
Passport Act
Manuals on Office Procedures
Other Central Government Rules and manuals published by Central Government.
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(vi)
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a statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control;
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Classified documents/files relating to India's external relations
Unclassified documents/files including joint statements, declarations, agreements and MoUs. Passport and consular services application forms
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(vii)
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the particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof;
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Embassy of India functions within the norms of India's foreign policy formulated by the Ministry of External Affairs. Policy is implemented by the Embassy under the guidance and supervision of the Ambassador.
Embassy interacts regularly with representatives of think tanks, academic community and others.
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(viii)
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a statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public;
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(ix)
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a directory of its officers and employees;
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A directory is given at Annex-I 
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(x)
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the budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made;
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The Budget figures for the current financial year are given in the statement at Annex-II
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(xi)
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the manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes;
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Consulate General of India, Atlanta does not have any subsidy programme.
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(xii)
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particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations granted by it;
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No concessions/permits are granted by the Consulate General of India.
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(xiii)
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details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form;
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The Consulate makes available to interested individuals various CD's and DVD's containing information on India, its people and culture.
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(xiv)
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the particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use;
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Central Public Information Officer
Mr. Himanshu Alwaria
Vice Consul(OCI)
Phone : +1 470 890 9236
Email : cons[dot]atlanta[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in
Appellate Authority
Mr. M. K. Ghildiyal
Consul(Pol&Com)
Phone: +1 404 769 4081
Email: pol[dot]atlanta[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in
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(xv)
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the names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers;
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(xvi)
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such other information as may be prescribed and thereafter update these publications every year;
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The Consulate's website has information which is updated on a regular basis.
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