JAMMU — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah launched the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information (RTI) Online Portal on Friday, a move aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in government.

The launch event took place at the Civil Secretariat.

The portal, developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Jammu and Kashmir, allows citizens to submit RTI requests, track their status, and receive responses electronically. This online system eliminates the need for physical visits to government offices.

During the launch event, Abdullah congratulated the officers involved in developing the portal, emphasizing its transformative potential in simplifying the RTI application process for citizens. “This initiative will provide easy access to government information under the RTI Act, empowering citizens with a faster, more transparent, and cost-efficient mechanism,” he said. He also urged authorities to ensure widespread publicity of the portal so that all citizens are aware of its benefits.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Cabinet Ministers Sakeena Itoo, Javed Ahmad Rana, and Javed Ahmad Dar, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, administrative secretaries, and senior officers attended the launch.

M. Raju, Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), presented the portal’s features. He highlighted its user-friendly interface, streamlined RTI workflow, robust documentation features, and its role in promoting accountability.

One unique feature of the portal is the issuance of a registration number to applicants via SMS and email. This registration number allows for easy tracking of RTI applications. The portal integrates 61 government departments, 272 nodal officers/public authorities, 720 First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and 3,419 Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) and Public Information Officers (PIOs).