Blog on Right to Information Awareness

Blog on RTI Awareness

Dear friends,

I got a chance to attend a national convention on “The Right to Information: The Road Ahead” on 12 – 13 December at the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula, Goa. The convention was organized by the Media Information and Communication Centre of India (MICCI) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) in collaboration with The International Centre Goa (ICG). Delegates from 14 states participated in the convention.

Aruna Roy, Member, National Campaign for Peoples Right to Information and recipient of Magsaysay award for community leadership and international understanding, inaugurated the convention by delivering a keynote address. She said, “The Right to Information movement can help achieve accountability among bureaucrats and political leaders if citizens across the country use the act in a proper manner.”

Arjun Halarnkar, programme manager, ICG gave a welcome address and Nandini Sahai, director, MICCI delivered the theme address about the convention.

Participants from 14 states presented their papers on the assessment of “Reach and Impact of RTI: Role of Media” and delegates discussed issues related to RTI during the convention.

During the valedictory session of the convention, Nikhil Dey, member, National Campaign for peoples Right to Information and Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan delivered the valedictory address and A. Venkatratnam, (IAS Retd.) Chief Information Commissioner, Goa delivered the special address in the convention.

Right to Information (RTI) provides us right to know. We can use the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005 to stop corruption and avoid delays in getting our work done in government departments, municipal councils, village panchayat etc.

The RTI Act 2005 enables every citizen access to public information from government records. RTI has become an important tool of social development and good governance. Awareness among the people about the use of RTI has had a great effect on the working culture of the government. RTI has provided a base for new democracy. Let us use RTI to know the information we need from public authority. However, it is felt that a large number of citizens are unaware of the provisions of RTI Act.

To create awareness I have started this new blog.

Articles, news-briefs, write-ups will be posted on this blog from time to time.

Please visit this blog from time to time and advise me your comments.

Thanking you,

Keshav Singhal