Right to Information
The right to know information under the provisions of the RTI Act is an important legislation designed to promote transparency and accountability in the functioning of public authorities. The full text of RTI Act is available on the website: http://righttoinformation.gov.in. Only Indian citizens can seek information under the Act. 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” alongwith the prescribed fee through e-IPO * (Electronic Indian Postal Order) OR in local currency (RMB Yuan), equivalent to Indian Rs. 10 in cash/cheque or demand draft in favour of Consulate General of India, Guangzhou. [The rate of exchange for a particular month may be ascertained from the Consulate]. Applications should be submitted along with documentary proof of Indian Citizenship (like copy of personal particulars pages of passport). For more information please visithttp://rti.gov.in.
(i) The particulars of its organization, functions and duties:
The Consulate General of India is headed by Consul General and has following Sections/Wings: (i) Chancery Wing (ii) Consular Wing (iii) Commercial Section (iv) Culture & Information Wing. Each Wing is headed by Consul. The functions of the Consulate, inter alia, include visa, passport and consular services, community affairs, trade and investment promotion, cultural interaction, with the seven provincial governments, under the jurisdiction of the Consulate, viz., Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hainan, Hunan, Sichuan, and Yunnan. Consulate functions within the purview of business allocated to the Ministry of External Affairs under the Government of India's Allocation of Business Rules and Transaction of Business Rules.
(ii) The powers and duties of its officers and employees:
General Administrative powers are derived from Indian Foreign Service (Pay Leave and Compensatory Allowances etc) Rules, 1961 as amended from time to time. Financial powers of the Officers of the Consulate General 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, Visa Manual, and other instructions issued by Ministry of Home Affairs. The Officers of the Consulate function under the guidance and supervision of Consul General.
(iii) The procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability & (iv) The norms set by it for the discharge of its functions:
Decisions are guided by relevant rules and are arrived at under the instructions and overall supervision of the Consul General.
(v) The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions:
Indian Foreign Service (Pay Leave and Compensatory Allowances etc) Rules, 1961 and its annexure notifying decisions taken by the Government under the Rules, Delegated Financial Powers of Government of India's Representatives abroad, The Passport Act, Visa Manual, Manuals on Office Procedures, Other Central Government Rules and manuals published by the Central Government.
(vi) A statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control:
Classified documents/files relating to important issues; Unclassified documents/files including, agreements and Memoranda of Understanding; Passport, visa and consular services applications.
(vii) 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:
Consulate General of India functions within the norms of India's foreign policy formulated by the Ministry of External Affairs. Policy is implemented by the Consulate under the guidance and supervision of the Consul General. Recently, this Consulate has formally organized launching of Guangzhou Indian Community in order to promote a consultation mechanism with the Indian community on consular, cultural, social and other issues for promoting the welfare of the Indian community.
(viii) 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:
The Consulate works in the close coordination with provincial Chambers of Commerce, think tanks, academicians and others in addition to the Indian Associations.
(ix) A directory of its officers and employees:
OFFICERS/OFFICIALS @ CONSULATE
(x) The monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations:
(xi) The budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made:
The Budget figures for the current financial year are given in the statement at Annexure-III.
(xii) The manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes:
The Consulate General of India does not have any subsidy programme.
(xiii) Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations granted by it:
Processing of visa services has been outsourced to the Indian Visa Application Centre, (M/s BLS International) with effect from 18/03/2013. The process for awarding the contract to M/s BLS International was initiated and handled by our Embassy in Beijing and the decision was taken with the approval of the Ministry of External Affairs. Contact details of Indian Visa Application Centre have been given in the Consulate's website.
(xiv) Details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form:
The Consulate website has the required information. Consulate also makes available to interested individuals/organizations various books, journals, handouts, CD's and DVD's containing information on India, its people, culture, and economic policies.
(xv) 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:
Due to a very limited space in the Consulate premises, no formal library is functional. However, the posters, journals on India are displayed in the Consular Hall.
(xvi) The names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers:
Public Information officer:-
Mr. Benson Ninan
Consul (Com & Visa)
Telephone: 0086-20-85501512
Fax: 0086-20-85501510 / 85501513
Email: com.guangzhou@mea.gov.in
Appellate Authority:-
Mr. Shambhu L. Hakki
Consul General
Telephone: + 86-20-85501507
Fax: 0086-20-85501510/85501513
Email: cg.guangzhou@mea.gov.in
(xvii) Such other information as may be prescribed and thereafter update these publications every year:
The Consulate's website has relevant information which is updated as and when required.
(xviii) Contact details of Indian Community Welfare Officer:
Community Welfare Officer:-
Consul (Consular)
Consulate General of India, Guangzhou
Units 1401-1404, 14th Floor, HNA TowerNo.8, Linhe Middle Road, Tianhe DistrictGuangzhou – 510620
Tel No.0086 20 85501509
Email: consulic.guangzhou@mea.gov.in
*Facility of e-IPO for payment of fee under the RTI Act, 2OO5
The Department of Personnel and Training and Department of Posts have launched a service called e-lPO (Electronic lndian Postal Order) to enable lndian Citizens residing in lndia or abroad to purchase an lndian Postal Order electronically by paying fee on-line through e-Post Office Portal i.e.http://www.epostoffice.gov.in, to enable them to seek information under the RTI Act, 2005. It can also be accessed through lndia Post Website, i.e. www.indiapost.gov.in. An e-lPO so generated must be used only once with an RTI application.
The User needs to get himself registered at the website. He has 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 information from that Ministry/Department only. A printout of the e-IPO is required to be attached with the RTI application. If the RTI application is being filed electronically, e-IPO is required to be attached as an attachment. For more details please visit the website http://www.epostoffice.gov.in.
This facility is only for purchasing an Indian Postal Order electronically. All the requirements for filing an RTI application as well as other provisions regarding eligibility, time limit, exemptions, etc. will continue to apply.
Right to Information
