No Info About Creation of Aarogya Setu App, Says Centre; CIC Issues Notice Over 'Evasive Reply'

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the National Informatics Centre have said they do not have any information about the “creation” of the Aarogya Setu application promoted by the government to contain the spread of Covid-19, responses termed as “preposterous” by the Central Information Commission. “The CPIO NIC also should explain that when in the website it is mentioned that Aarogya Setu Platform is designed, developed and hosted by National Informatics Centre, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, then how is it that they do not have any information about creation of the App,” she said. “The CPIO, NIC’s submissions that the entire file related to creation of the App is not with NIC is understandable, but the same submissions if accepted from MeITY, NeGD and NIC in toto, then it becomes more relevant to now find outhow an App was created and there is no information with any of the relevant public authorities,” she said. The Information Commissioner issued a show cause notice to four officials — Deputy Directors MeitY SK Tyagi and DK Sagar, Senior General ManagerNational E-Governance Division RA Dhawan and CPIO NIC Swarup Dutta.