TNI Bureau: Shocking, but true. The Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) failed to answer who created the Aarogya Setu App and how was it done even though the App is now an mandatory application to have access to various services and utilities, as per the Ministry of Home Affairs Guidelines on COVID-19.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) issued show-cause notices to the CPIOs, Ministry of Electronics & IT, National Informatics Centre (NIC), NeGD as to why penalty should not be imposed on them under the RTI Act for obstruction of information and providing an evasive reply on an RTI application related to Aarogya Setu App.
The NIC has been asked to explain when the Aarogya Setu App menitions it as the desiner, developer and host, how they don’t have any information about the creation of the App.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) also directs the CPIO, NIC to explain this matter in writing as to how the website https://aarogyasetu.gov.in/ was created with the domain name gov.in if they are unaware of it.
The Commission directs the above-mentioned CPIOs to appear before the bench on November 24 at 01.15 PM to show cause as to why action should not be initiated against them under Section 20 of the RTI Act.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Electronics & IT has clarified in a press release that AarogyaSetu App has been developed by NIC in collaboration with volunteers from Industry and Academia.