07036366996Information disclosure in Indis is restricted by official secrets act of 1923. Information should not be shared to lesser or larger public under any circumstances.
To empower citizens to contain corruption by promoting transperancy and accountability in working of public authorities, and there by the fruits of democracy reaches every citizen. Information with regards to various schemes and their beneficiaries, public authority operating the scheme, budget allocation, procedure for beneficiary etc.. need to be proactively disclosed.
Right to Information Act is came into force on 12th. October-2005. RTI Authority has quazi judicial powers.
An applicant can file an application under RTI with in maximum of 250 words and on a single subject. The applicant shall not pose a question nor seek justification.
10 rupees shall be paid as fee towards application. If information is required on photo copy, each copy of the same is charged @Rs.2/- per copy.
Normally, information is disclosed with in 30 days of the receipt of the application, after which the applicant can approach higher authority.
However section 7 of the act stipulates 48 hours for providing the information, if the applicant invokes life and liberty clause. This can be applied when there is imminent danger posed to life or liberty of an individual, which has to be proven.
Public Authority : it's role
A public authority falling under section 2 of the act, whose
Accounts being audited by C& AG
A department under Government of India or a State Government Department
A corporation or society to which land gifted by the government or it board comprises of 50% or more of Government officers or are nominated by government.
Public authority, shall suo motto disclose the information in electronic format and in local language at regular intervals, to avoid filing of RTI to the least extant possible.
No public authority is obliged to keep records for more than 2o years excepting where the department stipulates for such records.
Tampering of public records leads to police/ vigilance enquiry.
Dissimination of RTI for Good Governance :
Wide spread awareness about RTI brings about a dramatic change in Governance. It leads to transperancy, corruption free and accountability in government.
There is a wide gap between intention and interpretation of the act with various authorities, as well differing between authority to authority. To abridge the miscommunication, there needs a dynamic medium and that we are at forefront to resource them.
Lack of proper knowledge among stake holders, leading to misinterpretation of the act, leading to either rejection of the information sought after by the applicant, or Public Information Officer(PIO) being penalized for such rejection. It is also to be noted, that the PIO is additionally burdened with the task of information disclosure as public authority. At times, the act is being misused by certain vested elements to their advantage, more often threatening/ black mailing of public authority. This leads to improper functioning of the government.
For an average individual, seeking information under RTI is a cumbersome process, which dissuades from filing an application.
We stress on making RTI a success among stake holders i.e. public and the government by emphasising the need of proactive disclosure of information available, under the ambit of law.
To dissiminate knowledge of RTI, and create awareness at grassroot level, a phased program using various tools of propagation via social media, journalism, conducting seminars, interactive sessions by experts are to be undertaken exhaustively.
Conducting workshops on RTI, involving general public, especially students who are the future of this country, in conjunction with public authorities, who are also part of this country's populace fills in the big gap between general public and bureaucracy.
To bring about a better perception about RTI among the general public and government authorities, who implement the act, we shall focus on working in unison.
Dissimination of RTI for Good Governance :
Wide spread awareness about RTI brings about a dramatic change in Governance. It leads to transperancy, corruption free and accountability in government.
There is a wide gap between intention and interpretation of the act with various authorities, as well differing between authority to authority. To abridge the miscommunication, there needs a dynamic medium and that we are at forefront to resource them.
Lack of proper knowledge among stake holders, leading to misinterpretation of the act, leading to either rejection of the information sought after by the applicant, or Public Information Officer(PIO) being penalized for such rejection. It is also to be noted, that the PIO is additionally burdened with the task of information disclosure as public authority. At times, the act is being misused by certain vested elements to their advantage, more often threatening/ black mailing of public authority. This leads to improper functioning of the government.
For an average individual, seeking information under RTI is a cumbersome process, which dissuades from filing an application.
We stress on making RTI a success among stake holders i.e. public and the government by emphasising the need of proactive disclosure of information available, under the ambit of law.
To dissiminate knowledge of RTI, and create awareness at grassroot level, a phased program using various tools of propagation via social media, journalism, conducting seminars, interactive sessions by experts are to be undertaken exhaustively.
Conducting workshops on RTI, involving general public, especially students who are the future of this country, in conjunction with public authorities, who are also part of this country's populace fills in the big gap between general public and bureaucracy.
To bring about a better perception about RTI among the general public and government authorities, who implement the act, we shall focus on working in unison.