Embassy of India
Damascus, Syria

Right to Information Act

Right to Information Act 2005, mandates timely response to citizen requests for government information. The Embassy’s website is intended to provide information of general nature.

As mandated by the RTI Act, the first Appellate Authority and the Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Embassy is as follows

Appellate Authority:

Shri Vipin Kumar Gupta
Second Secretary (Commerce)
Tel no. +963-11-3347902
Fax no. +963-11-3347912
Email: fscom.damascusmea.gov.in

Public Information Officer:
Mr. S. V. Ch. Santi Swaroop
Attaché

Tel No:  00 963 11 3347351, Ext:123
Fax No: 00 963 11 3347912
E-mail: amb.damascusmea.gov.in

Right to Information Act (2005) 

To Access the RTI Portal of Government of India click here 

Particulars of organization, functions and duties of the Mission.

(Article 4 (1) (b) (i) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

 Embassy is headed by Head of Mission (Ambassador).  Important Wings of the Embassy are headed by other officers viz. First Secretary (HOC) – Incharge of Administration, Second Secretary (P&E) – Incharge of Political, Economic and information wings,  Second Secretary (Commerce) - Incharge of Commercial Wing of the Mission, Second Secretary (Consular) – incharge of Consular Wing of the Mission.  In discharge of their duties, these officers are assisted by Attaches, Accountant, Assistants and Personal Assistants

Powers and duties of officers and employees of the Embassy of India, Damascus

(Article 4 (1) (b) (ii) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

Financial powers of the employees of the Embassy have been detailed in the Booklet ‘Delegated Financial Powers of the Government of India Representatives Abroad’.

Other powers of some of the designated officials of Embassy are derived from the Passport Act. This Act is on the MEA web-site.

Procedures followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and authority

(Article 4 (1) (b) (iii) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

Queries/information/approvals for incurring expenditure etc are submitted by Attaches/Assistant to their respective Head of Divisions.  According to powers delegated to the officers, the decisions are arrived at as the case may be.

Norms set by the Embassy for the discharge of its functions

(Article 4 (1) (b) (iv) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

Norms are set under the instruction and supervision of the Ambassador, who is guided in turn by rules set down by Government of India

Rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records held by or under the control of the Embassy used by its employees for discharging its functions

(Article 4 (1) (b) (v) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

(i) IFS PLCA rules and Annexures:
IFS PLCA (Pay, Leave and Compensatory Allowances) is already available in electronic format but only for official use. These Rules are applicable to the officers posted in Indian Missions and Posts abroad

(ii) Financial Powers of Government of India’s Representative Abroad.

(iii) Guide to Selected Administration/establishment Rules & procedures.

(iv) Related Manuals such as FR/SR etc.

Statement of the categories of documents that are held by the Embassy or under its control.

(Article 4(1) (b) (vi) of the right to Information Act , 2005. )

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

Arrangement for consultation with or representation by the members of the public in relation to formulation of policies or implementation thereof

(Article 4 (1) (b) (vii) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

Members of public can contact officers by appointment, or by mail through the ‘Contact Us’ segment of the website of the Embassy.

Statement of boards, councils, committees and other bodies

(Article 4 (1) (b) (viii) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

None

Manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries

(Article 4 (1) (b) (xii) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

The Embassy does not have any subsidy programmes.

Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations granted by the Embassy.

(Article 4 (1) (b) (xiii) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

There are no recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations granted by the Embassy

Details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form:

(Article 4 (1) (b) (xiv) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

The Embassy’s website has the required information.  Embassy also makes available to interested individuals various CD’s and DVD’s containing information on India, its people and culture.

Particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information

(Article 4 (1) (b) (xv) of the Right to Information Act, 2005)

Citizens can obtain information through the web-site of the Embassy.  They could also consult the Library of the Embassy.   

4(1)(b)(xvi) Name designations and other particular of the Public Information Officers :

Mr. S.D. Sharma, Charge d'Affaires– Appellate Authority

Mr. Tajinder Singh, Attaché – Public Information Officer

Facility of e-IPO:

The Government of India has launched a service called e-IPO (Electronic Indian Postal Order) to enable Indian Citizens abroad to purchase an Indian Postal Order electronically by paying fee on-line through e-Post Office Portal i.e. (http://www.epostoffice.gov.in ) and seek information under the RTI Act, 2005.

The user needs to get himself registered at the website. He has also to select the Ministry/Department from whom he desires to seek the information under the RTI Act and the e-IPO so generated can be used to seek inforamtion from that Ministry/Department only. A printout of the e-IPOis required to be attached with the RTI application. If RTI application is being filed electronically, e-IPO is required to be attached as an attachement.