Chief Information Commissioner Jannat Hussain called for increased awareness of RTI Act among the people.
Chief Information Commissioner Jannat Hussain, on Tuesday, called on social activists, NGOs and media to create awareness about the Right To Information (RTI) Act so that the law can be utilised properly by people.
Speaking at a seminar organised by the State Information Commission On Right to Information Act in Jubilee Hall, to mark the completion of 5 years of the RTI Act, Jannat Hussain stated that prior to the enactment of the act, only people with the right connections were privy to information about files, but that after its coming into effect, the Act had empowered the common man in the true sense.
Hussain said that officials used to deny providing information by citing confidentiality, and that the situation had changed now, since the common man could invoke the Act.
The RTI Commissioner revealed that more and more people are using the RTI act and said that authorities had received 67,000 applications in 2009, 64,000 in 2008, 32,000 in 2007 and 9,000 applications in 2006.
There are 1,80,840 PIOs who received 1,01,029 applications and disposed of 1,82,333 applications up to June 30th, 2010. Out of the applications decided, information was furnished in 1,71,037 cases.
During the period from the inception of the Act to 31st August 2010, the APIC received 45,234 cases and disposed of 39,797. Out of them, 16,825 were appeals and complaints, out of which, 11,984 were disposed of. In the last 5 years, around 651 show-cause notices, 45 warnings,12 enquiries were issued, 36 penalties were imposed and 4 disciplinary actions were recommended.
The Act provides that Public Information Officers (PIOs) shall furnish information within 30 days and the first Appellate Authorities shall dispose the appeals within 30 days.
Those PIOs who fail to furnish information are liable for imposition of penalty by the Commission at Rs. 250 per day.
The CIC also revealed that most of the applications were disposed of at the field level, within the 30 day period.
Hussain also revealed that the government was regularly issuing directions to collectors and district superintendents of police to implement RTI in all departments from the ground-level.
The CIC expressed his happiness that the State was being cited as an example by the Union government to other States, in the implementation pattern of RTI.
The CIC deplored the lack of awareness about the Act among rural folk and urged the government, social activists, NGOs and the media to propagate its benefits among people residing in rural areas.
Hussain pointed out that noted film director Shyam Benegal's latest cinematic offering 'Well Done Abba' had helped immensely in creating awareness about the benefits of the Act among the people .
Speaking at the seminar, Special Chief Secretary, GAD Minnie Mathews, said that the RTI Act was a tool in the hands of the people which, if properly utilised, could transform the society.
The Act aims to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability.
Courtesy: INN