Is the Right to Information Act Working as an Important Tool of Social Development, Good Governance and Strong Democracy in India?
IS THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT WORKING AS AN IMPORTANT TOOL OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND STRONG DEMOCRACY IN INDIA?
Prakhar Gupta Student PGDM-RM (2013-15) Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar Email: u313035@stu.ximb.ac.in Abstract: The Right to Information Act, 2005 is an act to empower the citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. But after 7 years of its implementation, is it helpful in empowering the citizens, bringing development and ensuring timely information to the citizens? This paper attempts to highlight the hurdles faced by RTI user regarding the abovementioned issues. The Right to information Act 2005, which came fully into effect on 12 th October 2005, is one of the most significant legislations enacted by the Parliament of India. The Act empowers us to expose corruption, red-tapism and provides us access to information on Government policies, programmes, schemes and benefits. Through all this we can also seek solutions to our problems. We can inspect files and check for any misappropriations. We can ask for information about the work being done in our areas. Besides these, information can be sought on the following1. We can demand sample of materials used for the construction of roads, drains and buildings, etc. 2. We can demand an inspection of government documents, maps for the construction, registers and records. 3. We can demand information related to the progress of action taken on our complaint up to the date of filling the RTI Application.
However, the abovementioned points states the facts about what we can do with the help of Right to Information (RTI) Act but is the RTI Act really working as an important tool of social development, good governance and strong democracy? Whether the RTI Act is truly useful for a common man to solve its problems?
Before proceeding further we must
Prakhar Gupta Student PGDM-RM (2013-15) Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar Email: u313035@stu.ximb.ac.in Abstract: The Right to Information Act, 2005 is an act to empower the citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. But after 7 years of its implementation, is it helpful in empowering the citizens, bringing development and ensuring timely information to the citizens? This paper attempts to highlight the hurdles faced by RTI user regarding the abovementioned issues. The Right to information Act 2005, which came fully into effect on 12 th October 2005, is one of the most significant legislations enacted by the Parliament of India. The Act empowers us to expose corruption, red-tapism and provides us access to information on Government policies, programmes, schemes and benefits. Through all this we can also seek solutions to our problems. We can inspect files and check for any misappropriations. We can ask for information about the work being done in our areas. Besides these, information can be sought on the following1. We can demand sample of materials used for the construction of roads, drains and buildings, etc. 2. We can demand an inspection of government documents, maps for the construction, registers and records. 3. We can demand information related to the progress of action taken on our complaint up to the date of filling the RTI Application.
However, the abovementioned points states the facts about what we can do with the help of Right to Information (RTI) Act but is the RTI Act really working as an important tool of social development, good governance and strong democracy? Whether the RTI Act is truly useful for a common man to solve its problems?
Before proceeding further we must
References: 1. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/political-parties-under-rti-congress-rejects-cicorder/article4781292.ece 2. http://cic.gov.in/ 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attacks_on_RTI_activists_in_India 4. http://www.indiawest.com/news/10021-pmo-denies-information-to-rti-activist.html 5. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-26/top-stories/40813721_1_cicnotice-bcci-central-information-commission 6. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-13/india/29768605_1_cic-ordertransparency-panel-rti-applicant 7. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-stays-cics-order-onappointment-of-judges/article59886.ece