September 08, 2009 : An Official Spokesman of State Government told here today that under provision 5 (1) of Himachal Pradesh Right to Information Act 2006 only persons belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) had been exempted from fee for getting information while all others categories including Scheduled Castes(SC), Scheduled Tribes(ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) will have to deposit the prescribed fee. He clarified that exemption of fee had only been given to those living Below Poverty Line, ( BPL) identified by the State Government.
In this regard a press note no 875 /2009 –PUB issued yesterday in which it has been mentioned that applicants belonging to BPL /OBC and SCs had been exempted from charging any fee for getting information under RTI is not correct and regretted . He said that persons belonging to Below Poverty Line families would only be provided information free of cost.