Budget 2020: 80% increment for Central Information Commission

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday (February 1) announced the allocation of ₹9.9 crore for the Central Information Commission (CIC) and the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the Union Budget 2020-21, an increase of 80 per cent as compared to the last budget.

In the Budget 2019-20, the government had allocated ₹5.5 crore for the ‘CIC and RTI’ as the commission’s funds were slashed by 38 per cent as compared to the Budget 2018-19.

“Fund allocations in respect of the CIC’s Construction of Head Office Building and DOPTs Propagation of the RTI Act,” the budget document said.

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The CIC has also received funds under a separate head of ‘CIC and PESB’ with an increase of 6.95 per cent from the last budget. It has been allocated ₹32 crore as compared to ₹30.02 allocated crore last year under this head.

This provision is for “establishment related expenditure of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) and the Central Information Commission”, the document said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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